Oct 7, 2019
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#25
I awoke to Joffrey shaking me awake, eyes wide with worry and shock. Blearily, I peered about. Two maids huddled by the door, each pale and grim-looking. Joffrey himself looked wild eyed, his dress not entirely as put together I was used too. The maids must have woken him or interrupted his usual morning rituals.
"Thank the seven. Thank the seven. Where is Gerardys!?" His shout made me flinch and I cursed myself when he turned back to me, looking stricken. There was no way he hadn't felt me jump with his hand still on my shoulder. The maids fled at his shout, leaving me alone with him. Head foggy with sleep, I pulled myself out of bed and staggered over to the juice the maids had evidently been in the process of bringing.
"Your Grace?" he asked, voice fearful. I ignored him in favour of downing as much juice as possible. My throat ached, making the act of swallowing painful. Annoyed, I raised my hand to it and rubbed at it as if I could erase last night. The door swung open to admit Gerardys, the Maester was panting as if he had run all the way from his rooms. When he saw me he stopped dead, then his eyes went lower and widened with horror.
"Your Grace! Please lie back down and allow me to attend to you," he all but babbled. I finished my cup and couldn't quite keep the grimace off of my face.
"I am fine," I lied, pain in my throat flaring as I spoke. I felt a hand on my shoulder, steering me to the bed.
"Your Grace, someone has tried to strangle you!" Gerardys sounded somewhat hysterical so I allowed him to steer me to the bed. I didn't let him force me to lie down but I put up with his tests, even if it was embarrassing to have Joffrey in the corner whilst he poked and prodded. After he left, Joffrey removed himself from the wall and stepped forward, falling to his knees in front of me.
"Your Grace, I have failed you."
"Is it really that bad?" I rasped, wincing as I realised that if I was having trouble speaking it most certainly was. He raised his dark eyes and stared at me incredulously.
"Your Grace, the maids thought you dead! Strangled in your sleep!" He looked stricken and upset. I sighed and closed my eyes, hands trying to massage away a headache. I don't know how he thought I'd been injured but he was clearly blaming himself.
"I am as well as can be expected. You may consider yourself innocent of any failing, the man who did this was one beyond your reach." I couldn't quite bring myself to say it was Viserys. I had never seen him like that. I knew he had a temper, had seen it directed at Daemon and various courtiers but… Gods, never at me and never that bad. Joffrey was silent for sometime as his eyes flickered this way and that, trying to figure out who I meant. I knew he'd hit on the right answer when his eyes widened and his face contorted into horror.
"I believe I understand, Your Grace. I will have the castle prepared to accommodate your return," he told me, face neutral and tone unfriendly. He was almost stalking as he left, free hand going for a sword he no longer wore. There was the Knight of Kisses, the man willing to fight a Princess over the Prince. The man willing to fight a King over a Princess. He reached the door before I called out to him.
"Do not do anything rash, Ser Joffrey," he nodded, eyes conveying his rage and unhappiness.
I rose once to change into a night shirt with the help of the maids before falling back to sleep. I felt heavy and drained and tired but no amount of rest seemed able to drive it away. I should get up and attend to Dragonstone, I likely had a stack of reports to make my way through. I should get up and go see Wisdom Jerrett and how he is coming along with the Guild campus. I should get up and find Joffrey to plan how I would remain in contact with the Blacks whilst I found myself unwelcome at court.
I had taken a bad situation and gotten close to salvaging it and then thrown it all away because my temper had gotten the better of me once again. The Rhaenyra in me had gotten the better of me once again. He knew… he knew what Daemon had done to me, knew that the rumours Alicent had spread weren't true. Just as he knew that the rumours regarding Alicent were true. That she had entered the relationship willingly and had been quite charmed by him for the longest time. To conflate the two situations…
I dashed away my tears and gave into the sudden exhaustion I felt.
I awoke to feather light touches skimming over my face, tracing the curve of my cheek, before moving down and settling on my neck. I opened my eyes in confusion. Laena hung over me, cascades of silver ringlets curtaining her face. Her face bore an intense expression and her eyes were full of rage I had never seen in the girl before. In the low light of my rooms she was hauntingly beautiful in a way that caused my heart to lurch painfully and my mouth go dry. Realising I was awake, she snatched her hand back as if burned before favouring me with a small smile. That rage didn't quite leave her eyes though.
"Sickbed or not, I'm not kissing you," she said and I bit back a groan. Of course she'd noticed. She was only ever observant when it was inconvenient for her to be.
"Laena," came Joffrey's voice, sharp with warning.
"A joke, Ser Joffrey, one can not be serious all the time. Besides, I am the least likely to judge her proclivities,"
I pushed past her and pulled myself halfway to upright, leaning against the impressively carved headboard. A dragon wing poked my cheek. Laena shifted her position on the bed as I pulled at the covers and tried to smile, managing to look vaguely constipated. She seemed to be struggling to remove her gaze from my neck. She was still dressed in her riding gear and smelt of dragon and sea salt. Joffrey looked as grim as ever and still just as angry as he had when he had left this morning. I risked a glance out the window and was surprised to find it pitch black outside.
Had I really slept the whole day away?
"My proclivities?" I croaked, questioningly. Joffrey sighed.
"My dolt of a brother thought you wanted me in your bed. Flattering, I suppose," she told me. This time I could see the look Joffrey cast at her, full of frustration.
"Laena, this is not the time for japes."
"Oh come on, Joff, both she and my brother have… inconvenient desires. You can't deny hiding it will be the most important thing you do."
"Her Grace is loyal to your brother," Joffrey told her as I resigned myself to a painfully awkward conversation. "But even if she were not, now would not be the time to have this conversation."
"Her Grace very much desires the company of her husband and has taken no lovers," he continued after giving Laena time to process that information. "Of any sort."
Ser Joffrey, I am going to do something very nice for you in the future. Although at least she isn't full of pity. I don't think I could handle pity right now.
"Oh by the seven! I beg your apologies, I must have sounded as vain as-"
I waved her apology off, feeling only slightly guilty at the deceit. Gods, it had been so odd to realise my sexuality had shifted. I had thought myself past surprises like that when I awoke in Rhaenyra's body but fourteen years and the start of puberty later and I found my blood singing for a man.
Awkward to explain to the sister-in-law.
"Now that we've established I'm not a sexual harassment case waiting to happen, why are you here?"
"Sexual harassment?" she asked, frowning.
"A term Her Grace coined during her creation of the bureaucracy of Dragonstone. It's quite simple to parse it's meaning. Perhaps you could give Her Grace the news from the capital?"
The urge to laugh ran through me. Laena was clever in her own way, the best dragon rider of our generation and if Rhaenys ever let her would make an excellent explorer but when it came to anything not dragons or flying, she could be remarkably ditzy. Case in point, accusing the Crown Princess of having an affair as a joke. The sad thing was that if she ever bothered to focus on politics she'd probably be very good at it, she understood people well when she bothered to.
"Oh! Laenor sent me ahead to tell you. Rumours abound in the capital of your falling out with the King and Laenor wanted to make sure your lords knew that it was over the Vale business. Regardless, Lord Gerold is in a fine temper and even the Greens are discontent about the fact you have been unofficially banished over defending the rights of a vassal."
"And?" Joffrey prompted. Laena rolled her eyes. Something told me Laenor had drilled this into his Sister's head repeatedly before letting her go, something about her wording was reminiscent of him.
"And Viserys issued a decree supporting every action you took, including the seizure of Gulltown. You have nearly the entire court in your corner and the smallfolk praising your name from Cracklaw Point to the Wendwater!"
"With no way to turn that good will into solid political gains," I reminded them both.
"Laenor says it's not so! Lord Gerold is taking the lead with the Black faction in King's Landing and many of your supporters have spoken about sending representatives to Dragonstone for your own court here and that's just the courts reaction. Once the Lords Paramount hear the news there will be a second wave of condemnation for the King."
"Then I trust Lord Gerold to handle it."
At my dismissal, Laena and Joffrey shot each other surprised glances.
"That is… unlike you?" Laena said, her eyes worried.
"Her Grace is not well currently. Certainly once she has recovered she will resume her position in charge of the Black faction."
"She is in the room, Joffrey." I said as I laid back down and punched my pillow into a vaguely comfortable shape. "And she is going back to sleep."
"Uh, there may be a small problem," Laena's tone was hesitant, as if she had bad news and suspected the messenger might very much get shot for delivering it. A sigh escaped me before I could stop it.
"Go ahead, ruin my evening."
"Mother is here!" Laena said very quickly. I felt her weight leave the bed. I glared at my pillow. If Rhaenys were here it was a minor miracle hadn't stormed my bedroom already.
"I thought it prudent to allow Laena to warn you rather than allow Lady Rhaenys to enter with you unaware."
Joffrey, I don't know how you did it but I'm going to make you tell me. Lady Rhaenys respects the laws of neither men nor gods, how did you get her to restrain herself for so long? I sat up again and glared at the worried looking Laena and the ever stoic Joffrey.
"Then it seems I must get dressed and receive Lady Rhaenys before she lays siege to my rooms."
"Mother isn't that bad, Rhaenyra," Laena chuckled nervously. I shot her a dark look.
"Perhaps you can help Her Grace dress herself. I will ensure that Lady Rhaenys is aware that you will be attending to her shortly."
I couldn't be bothered with fashion and dress cuts so I asked Laena to find me a dress that wasn't completely terrible and let her do most of the work when it came to pulling it on. It was clumsy and much slower than I really expected but then again, Laena had hardly played lady-in-waiting or maid before.
"Rhaenyra, are you truly well?" she asked me softly as I dug around for something to conceal my neck with. I'd looked into what passed as a mirror and discovered why everyone was so concerned. My neck was riot of deep purple and blue, a very clear hand print dominated it. I didn't bother answering her as I located a long red shawl and occupied myself with wrapping it about my neck. She sighed in annoyance at my silence but took my proffered arm.
Rhaenys was pacing the room when we finally got there, an untouched glass of wine on the low table she was supposed to be sitting at. When we entered she crossed the room and seized me by the shoulder, violet eyes studying me.
"Heard from my boy and half the court you flung yourself into two sieges, broke a quarantine and had a mighty row with Viserys over it all." It wasn't a question but a statement so I merely nodded. She turned to her daughter. "How bad?"
"Laenor says that-"
"No, Laena. How bad is whatever wound she's hiding?" Laena's eyes flickered between me and her mother, caught between a rock and a hard place, I realised. "Don't give me that look, something she did sent Viserys into a frenzy and I doubt it was catching this nonexistent plague."
"I was not wounded in the Vale, Rhaenys," I told her, then regretted it because my voice was still rough and painful. Rhaenys turned back to me, mouth set into an unhappy curl.
"Show her, Rhaenyra." Traitor! I glared at Laena who merely looked stricken.
"Trust me, you are not leaving until I have a whole accounting of whatever idiocy you and Viserys have managed to argue your way into."
I glared at her. Viserys was the idiot, not me. He was the one that refused to see reason, refused to see that his belief that family was family and would never harm you would end in mine or Aegon's death. I removed the shawl and Rhaenys actually growled in anger.
"What. Happened?" she managed to choke out after a moment. Her face was mottled white and red with rage and her hands balling repeatedly into fists.
"Viserys was unhappy with my work in the Vale. He believed it to be an extension of the factionalism I have apparently caused and stirred up. He told me Alicent would never see me harmed and I told him Alicent hates me because she thinks I took Daemon from her."
Rhaenys groaned in dismay.
"Rhaenyra, you know how he rea-"
"It's true! She was fucking him and he broke it off because he wanted to be closer to the throne than Alicent could get him."
In the corner of my eye I could see Laena looking thrilled. She probably hadn't heard this gossip before and if she had, she probably hadn't had it confirmed as completely true. Viserys had always come down hard on those that repeated the rumours.
"I know that. You know that. Half of King's Landing bloody well knows that! Viserys blinds himself to it willingly and reacts badly when people make him confront it." Then she sighed and dropped into the chair. "That being said I should think he was more angry about you throwing yourself headfirst into danger! That man! If it were not for my husband's promise I'd be in court by morn and would have answers from him."
A flicker of alarm shot through me and even Laena moved to confront her mother, who merely held up a hand.
"I will not do anything rash. Mark my words though, that man is going to get a reckoning soon."
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Leonie46
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Leonie46
Oct 7, 2019
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#26
If I had thought Rhaenys and Laena's reactions to be unduly angry, Laenor proved me wrong. He'd arrived back accompanying my ladies and the ships having initiated a graceful exit from King's Landing and appointing Lord Celtigar and Lord Gerold as the nominal Black leaders in our absence.
That the King had 'banished' me for my actions in the Vale had been explained to him by Viserys himself who'd wrung his hands and listed the fact I had cared little for the plague warning, risked death by twitchy mercenaries, gotten caught up in two sieges and generally put myself at risk as the reason he'd been so angry. He'd reasoned that if I stayed at Dragonstone and ruled there it would be just as effective at showing the realm I could be heir than turning up at court at battling Alicent for influence over the Lords.
Funnily enough, he'd failed to mention the choking.
So Laenor had docked in Dragonstone and been greeted by his mother, his sister and his wife. Rhaenys had waited until Laenor had finished his explanation of his meeting with Viserys before pulling the shawl from my neck revealing the still ugly bruising. Laena had been forced to wrestle her brother to the ground to prevent him from flying Seasmoke straight back to King's Landing in a rage.
"Hah! I was starting to have my doubts I'd ever see you in a Dragon Rage, Laenor," she cackled, after he'd calmed down enough for Laena to stop sitting on him. One could almost hear the capital letters.
"Dragon rage? Really?" I asked drily from my position behind a large glass of wine. This sounded like an interesting tidbit of lore. Hadn't Viserys often blathered about waking the dragon in canon?
"Don't tell me you've never had it explained to you, Rhaenyra?" Rhaenys asked before throwing her head back and laughing. "Of course you haven't, Aemma wouldn't have known and Viserys wouldn't have cared."
"Those of us bonded to dragons are vulnerable to rages beyond that of normal men," explained Laena, shooting an amused look at her brother. Laenor flushed. That… actually explained a lot. Holy shit, why hadn't Viserys ever mentioned this? At my presumably stunned expression, Rhaenys laughed again.
"I've seen you with it. You haven't got the handle on it that you think you do but it'll come with age. As for my girl, there's a reason Corlys doesn't argue with her these days. I seem to remember an invitation to talk to Vhagar about your frequent travels."
"Mother!" Laena exclaimed, horrified. I had never seen Laena truly angry beyond the brief flash of murder she'd had over the bruises when she'd first seen them. Apparently, it wasn't something I should seek out if even Corlys was wary of it.
"But it seems the only thing that'll get Laenor fired up is a pretty wife in peril. Your father's son in more ways than one." There was a fierce grin gracing the Queen That Never Was' face. Laenor went even redder, hands twisting the hem of his tunic. I allowed myself to enjoy the sight of him, red blush on high cheekbones, for a moment until I caught Laena watching me with a raised eyebrow and an odd expression.
Rhaenys was wrong, of course, about the cause being a wife in peril. I had seen Laenor truly beyond rage, filled with killing intent, as we'd waited for the Maester to finish looking over Joffrey. Laenor had wanted to challenge Criston Cole, had wanted him dead and not peacefully in his sleep either. It had been the desire to make sure Joffrey did not awaken alone that had prevented him storming the royal apartments to confront the Lord Commander. I certainly had nothing to do with it, he'd barely acknowledged my presence at the time.
"No doubt we'll be receiving your Father's judgement on all of this before long," said Rhaenys, merrily and oblivious to her children's suddenly chagrined expressions. I, myself, refused to allow my expression to change. Corlys could fall in line or continue sulking on those fucking islands but I was done with men telling me what to do, assuming they were better at it all simply because I lacked a cock and they didn't.
Corlys did indeed have opinions. Surprising ones. His letter praised Laenor for his actions in the Vale, both in being a leader of men and flying in the Fall of Gulltown. He'd also waxed lyrical about how proud he was that Laenor had managed to use my 'foolishness' to create a boon for House Velaryon in the form of men, trade and resources from the Vale. He'd approved Laenor's offers of the loans to Jeyne and given him permission to sink a princely amount into the new enterprise in the Vale.
I don't think Laenor was supposed to read aloud the bit where Corlys implied I was an empty headed 'chit' who needed to be kept from harming myself through my own moronic ideas. Clearly, someone had received notice that Joffrey succeeded in emptying Dragonstone of his spies and was not taking it very well.
Joffrey had also succeeded in the other task I had set him because it seemed Qarl Correy was gone.
No body, no scandal, no real rumours - he was just gone. Joffrey had been tight lipped about what he'd done even when I'd confronted him directly. I had no clue if he was dead or alive, if he'd left willingly or not, if he even knew why he'd been turfed out of his comfy life on Driftmark. I found myself troubled by how untroubled I was by Qarl Correy's unknown fate.
He was probably dead. Likely executed…No, not executed, murdered for a crime he might commit in the future on the orders of a man who simply had another's word of his untrustworthiness. My word.
At least Laenor hadn't been too upset. He'd sulked for a day or two but had snapped out of it the moment Joffrey reported that Wisdom Jerrett had begun research and testing on Dragonstone. I admit I was excited too. Jerrett had split his Wisdoms into groups, roughly following the groups Laenor had used initially with a few minor changes.
Wisdom Hugh had taken command of a few farms close to the campus in my name and had started the experiments. They'd given one farmer the tools they'd produced, one farmer the idea and process of the four field system, the third both the field system and the tools and final one had been told to keep farming as usual.
Wisdom Gawen had been given charge of the 'communications' research. A fancy word for what was essentially just the printing press and the vague idea of typewriter. I was told he'd made good progress though. He'd come up with several promising prototypes for the press itself but had run into a problem with the actual print part.
Wisdom Beron had started his experiments into glass which were not going as well as hoped. Clear glass was still out of our reach it seemed as my vague ideas about seaweed were just that. Vague. Still, we were learning a lot about the different types of seaweed that graced the waters around Dragonstone and Driftmark and learning was never bad.
The final research group of any note was not lead by a Wisdom but by Maester Gerardys. Gerardys was a gifted healer and had read only a few pages of the book before insisting he be allowed to work with the Wisdoms. I had been worried he'd sell us all out and tell the Maesters about my plans but he'd insisted he was loyal to me.
He'd done that in canon. I remembered where it had got him there.
I'd begrudgingly allowed it because in the end he was the best man for the job. None of the Wisdoms really knew much about the body and medicine and Gerardys did have multiple silver links. So far, I did not think my trust had been misplaced even if he had sulked regarding my insistence that he train midwives. He'd given in after an afternoon spent arguing with me when he'd realised I wasn't backing down.
He'd sought out a few young girls from the castle town and begun teaching them how to read and write. After that he promised to teach them basic biology and bring in an older midwife to go over the finer points of delivering a baby. Then they'd be dispatched to gain experience on Dragonstone and Driftmark before returning to be present at my own birth. Hopefully with the Crown Princess favouring them, their popularity would soon justify training more.
Still, Gerardys wasn't entirely focused on training midwives. He'd successfully created Ether which was, admittedly, not as useful as it could be in a world with Milk of the Poppy but apparently still a worthy breakthrough in the field of medicine. He'd also produced a few stethoscope prototypes alongside some of the apprentices.
He was very excited about the stethoscope.
He'd devoted himself to researching all of the ways the stethoscope could be incorporated into the diagnoses process. Honestly, with all the testing he'd been doing the people of Dragonstone had never been healthier and I'd never been more popular as it seems the smallfolk had interpreted my Maester homing in on anyone with so much as a cough or a sniffle like a heat seeking missile as a sign of my exceedingly charitable nature.
At least the success of the stethoscope was balancing out the continued lack of progress of the penicillin front. Gerardys had done some research and discovered that early First Men included fruit mold in many of their ointments and poultices which did point to the spore existing but that damn thing remained illusive.
Wisdom Jerrett watched over it all, diving in and out of tasks and research as fancy took him. He'd been appointed as the leader of the Alchemists I had lured away from the capital. Not surprising given the pages had been 'secured' by his actions but I made a point of asking Joffrey to ensure that we did not become embroiled in any intra-guild politics. It would be a pain to lose progress because Jerrett wanted to argue about which hat he got to wear.
Speaking of politics, Joffrey and Laenor had been right. Viserys' actions had put him massively on the back foot with his courtiers and lords. He'd been forced to excessively praise my efforts to defend Jeyne's rights to all that would listen after an outpouring of support for me and condemnation at my perceived punishment.
It was also a complete mystery how descriptions of what Viserys had done to me had dispersed about the capital, wasn't it, Joffrey? To say nothing of the actual, honest to the seven public denouncement Rhaenys decided to send out to every lord that would listen, which hadn't helped Viserys' position, as it had simply confirmed Joffrey's rumours.
Oh yes, my dear Father was very unpopular in the capital right now.
Although practically speaking, I was the only one actually popular in the capital right now.
Some of the Greens had begun wavering, wondering if their rights would be defended given that Alicent was doubling down on condemning me. Not that she had a choice, Joffrey was quick to tell me that the Greens were suffering from backlash from… well, actually nobody was sure. Soon after my departure, Viserys and Alicent had a terrible row over what Joffrey did not know but it had taken days for them to begin speaking to one another again.
I must admit to being impressed she'd managed to come up with a half decent party line for her Greens to line up behind. She'd taken the view that it had been an internal dispute in the Vale and that I had overstepped my rights as Princess and Heir when I'd interfered without anyone asking me too. Hardcore Greens were obediently parroting it to all who would listen whilst implying I would weaken the rights of the Lords Paramount to strengthen myself unjustly.
Unfortunately, only her most hardcore Greens were buying it.
Truly, the Greens were definitely in worse shape than I would have expected, losing royal favour and lucrative appointments left, right and centre. Viserys may not be appointing my Blacks in their place but Alicent's hold on the capital was shakier than it had been in years. In fact, even Viserys' latest and greatest idea seemed to be an extension of Green disfavour when taken in the context of the court.
Oh yes, Viserys had apparently had another stroke of genius because a letter had been sent to Dragonstone bearing the King's seal.
The letter was typical of his missives. He acknowledged that his hasty reaction to my actions in the Vale had been ill-considered and divisive. He informed me of the reasons he'd reacted so which mostly boiled down to the fact he'd been scared stiff I would get myself killed. He praised my sense of justice, my political sense and my quick wit for solving the Vale situation in a manner that had been uncommonly light on casualties for succession disputes. He confirmed that he still thought of me as his heir and that if I continued showing such qualities as I did, I would be a finer ruler than Jaehaerys and a worthy Queen for Westeros.
But not once did he apologise. Not once did he say sorry for physically attacking me, for shouting and throwing his weight around. There was no rescinding of my informal 'banishment' and that said more to me than his entire letter had.
Still, if it had just been the praise, the support and the new confirmation he still saw me as his heir it would have been an annoying letter I could point to later when someone got snotty with me but this was Viserys. Viserys who seemed to be innately gifted in making every situation he ever got involved in objectively worse.
I had to hand it to him though, this time he wasn't making my life worse. Or rather, he wasn't making it directly worse, I had no doubt Alicent was thinking of a thousand different ways to make me pay for this.
Viserys had decreed the Helaena was old enough to be sent to foster.
And he'd chosen me, her doting older sister.
I really, really want to know what Alicent did to piss him off.
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Threadmarks Interlude - Rhaenys New
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Leonie46
Oct 7, 2019
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#27
She watched the paper that lay on her desk as one might watch a live viper and toyed with her glass of wine. She didn't need to read it to know what it said, she'd read through it enough to know the words by heart now.
Empty headed fool! What was he thinking?
She knew of course. He was arrogant enough to not realise he'd lost control of the situation long ago. That everyone involved would dance to his tune. She took a sip of wine and glared at the fire in the grate. She had never danced to his tune and woe betide him if he thought she would not catch on to his game. That he would try and sell their daughter, their only daughter, to such a man. Oh he used such coy language opining it would be 'good for them to meet' and that 'Rhaenyra's influence had to be fought' and so on, playing to what he knew to be her insecurities.
The wine glass came down to hard on the table, splashing it's contents over her hand. Did he think her a fool? Did he think he could control Daemon the way he thought he could control Laenor and Laena? He couldn't even control the daughter of that bleating sheep on the throne, how could he think he could control a true dragon?
In truth, he couldn't even control their children anymore.
Her boy, a boy no more, married for nearly a year now. He'd been to war, fought and killed. He was out in the world making his own name, forging his own legend… That he was doing at the side of that girl was the only infuriating part. She seemed content to sit back and let her precious boy so all the hard work. Money for an army, bat your eyelids at Laenor. Money for bizarre experiments, earn it on your back from Laenor.
And as for the spies on Driftmark…
Stupid boy! Why had he not warned them that Lonmouth, another ungrateful bastard, had men crawling over the island? Her husband had taught Joffrey everything he knew, treated him like a second son, and he repaid them with betrayal. More to the point, why had she been such a fool to assume that after that stunt her husband had pulled with their spies that Rhaenyra would not return the favour? That Laenor had not told her galled her. His wife had bought out half his island and he had not cared to even try and even hint about them.
Too much like his father, she supposed, all Rhaenyra had to do was play the wounded doe and Laenor had done the rest. Cunning. Clever. It should reassure her that their future Queen had a brain in her head. She sighed. She was being to harsh on the girl. To wound up, to worried for her children. She was seeing threats in every corner. Rhaenyra wasn't that bad. By her side, Laenor had become something more. Gone was the cowering boy, afraid of everything. Now he was a man in truth, soon to have babes on the way with any luck.
A knock on the door roused her from her thoughts.
"Come in!" she barked, placing her wine glass to the side and wiping her hand on the black tunic she wore. Laena appeared in the door way, looking worried and she gave her a warm smile. "Come in, girl, come in!"
She poured them both some wine and waited as her daughter made herself comfortable before handing her the cup.
"Thank you Mother. I wanted to speak to you about- about the Stepstones," her voice was hesitant, as if she expected her to end the conversation there and then. "I don't think I should go. It doesn't feel right and Laenor sai-"
"Laenor might as well be one of those fancy mimic birds from the summer islands right now. Rhaenyra doesn't want to risk you bringing Daemon back to Westeros." Her daughter flushed at the rebuke. Laena certainly approved of the girl as well. She hadn't seen her daughter so keen to stay in one place since she'd been a child, since she'd clambered across the back of Vhagar and claimed the gargantuan beast for her own.
"Rhaenyra said he would want me because I'm beautiful and he likes to possess beautiful things." The defiance did not surprise her, her daughter had always been mostly dragon in the same way Laenor had always been a seahorse, if only she could temper it with wisdom. "Laenor said that Father was offering me to him like a piece of meat to a starving dog."
Damn it all! How could she refute something that wasn't wrong? Corlys had better have a good explanation for trying such a bone-headed scheme. That Daemon would want the girl was a given fact, he would want her badly enough to start yet another dispute with his useless Brother, for all the good it would do Laena, who would be caught in the middle. Trapped in marital limbo again.
"Your Father offers you to no one. Prince Daemon is married and unlikely to be granted an annulment by the King. I would hope you remember that whilst aiding your Father."
Laena's face screwed up as she digested that. It would be good to remind her that for all Laenor and Rhaenyra's scare-mongering she was, ostensibly, being sent to aid her Father and securing their families future by doing so.
"The King does not grant the annulment. Surely that is the High Septon?"
Oh my girl, my sweet girl, how can you be so clever and so blind to how the world works at the same time? How can he expect you to survive Daemon? How can you have travelled so far and yet be so ignorant? Daemon will eat you alive.
Mother's Mercy, Rhaenyra is right. He'll use you up and leave you a ruin.
"The High Septon wouldn't dare grant an annulment if King Viserys does not wish it." She snorted. "The High Septon does not shit in the morning without King Viserys' permission."
At least the useless lump understood that much. That the faith was a tool of the throne and not the other way round. Her daughter shifted at the casual destruction of her understanding of the world. She wanted to take her by the shoulders and shake her. She'd travelled as far as Volantis, rode the last of conquerors dragons and had the temper to match! How could she not understand?
"I… I believe I understand. I will fly to Bloodstone and aid Father in routing these new foes." Ah, there it was. The look her girl got when she thought of adventure. Then she frowned. "I just… I will miss Laenor, Joff and Rhaenyra."
"They will be here when you get back." Laena's face cleared and she smiled. "And you will remain out of the Prince's way. Rhaenyra is right in saying he will want you."
"You do not like Rhaenyra much?" asked her daughter after a while of silence, coiling her hair around her finger and looking thoughtful.
"To hear Laenor speak of her, she's the second coming of the Seven-who-are-one. I merely think she overestimates herself." In truth, she was about the best that she could ask for in a gooddaughter. Pretty, clever enough and able to put her grandchildren on the throne where they belong.
"Laenor believes she can see the future." Laena said, watching her carefully. She snorted, Laenor had once been convinced he'd met a man that could walk on water. "He says she knows things she shouldn't."
"More to do with the Lonmouth boy than any mystical knowledge." The name was spat and she realised her daughter had picked up on it a second too late.
"You do not like Joff?" she asked. Oh how she was coming to loath the Lonmouth knight. Laenor's brother in arms, Laena able to call him by a nickname with ease and her gooddaughter…
"I dislike how obvious the two of them are. I hope the girl has enough brains to ensure the baby comes out with the right parentage but I would prefer more discretion."
Much to her surprise her daughter digested this news in silence before bursting into peels of laughter. She frowned, annoyed at missing something, annoyed at being made a joke of. Laena managed to get herself under control after a moment.
"I'm sorry Mother, the idea of Joff sleeping with Rhaenyra! Hahaha," her daughter giggled with evident glee.
"And pray tell why the idea amuses you so?" At the question Laena paled a little and wasn't that odd.
"Well… they're both so serious. Any affair they had would probably be scheduled three weeks ahead of time. They'd get so caught up in paperwork they'd forget the actual bedding!" A lie. Her daughter was lying. She had always been able to see through her children's lies but why would she lie about this? She had not lied about doubting an affair, why would she lie about why?
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"Three of a kind," said Falena Waynwood, laying her cards out for us all to see. She did indeed have three queens. Next to me, Alys Strong groaned in dismay and dropped her head onto the table. Her twin sister, Sera, patted her on the back consolingly. I didn't have much sympathy, she should have known to fold on an ace high when Falena was willing to take risky bets. The woman was conservative and risk averse, she wouldn't raise unless she knew she had a strong hand.
"An impressive hand, Falena, but I think you'll find I take the pot. Flush!" chirruped Maris Grafton in an annoyingly sweet tone that had her fellow Vale woman scowling at her. She was a pig to play poker with. The complete opposite of Falena, she was happy to take big risks on bad hands in attempts to psych out her opponents and had a near impenetrable poker face.
"Oh bad luck, Fal!" came Marya's ever cheerful voice as Maris eagerly scooped up the silver that composed of her winnings. Falena shot the Stokeworth lady a grateful smile. Marya had become the groups 'mom friend' within a week of my return to Dragonstone. She was closest to Falena, the two were devout and conservative and had much in common, but where Falena regarded all she did not approve of with silent condemnation, Marya simply accepted she couldn't change it and moved on.
It made her interactions with the Twins a lot easier. Alys and Sera were practical jokers and ever playing the fools, although they had the sense and tact to time their various comedy routines for when they were least likely to cause upset and on good days could even elicit a laugh or two from Falena. I liked that about them, they were never cruel with their jokes.
Maris Grafton was not as good a fit as I'd hoped. Frequently, she was a terror. Disdaining Marya's charity work, scorning Falena's quiet devotion to the Seven and scolding the Twins when they attempted to cheer her up. I suppose it wasn't too unexpected, Maris Grafton had been the oldest daughter of a powerful lord before I'd appeared in her life. Now she was forced to rely on the charity of the woman who had deposed her father based on nebulous good will she'd won years earlier. She was a weakness in my household that I could not easily eliminate and it made my shoulders itch.
It still did not feel right with Laena's absence. She'd only been here all of several weeks before Corlys had pulled his utterly ridiculous… no, no. You've raged at this enough. It's been nearly five months now. Be sensible. Still, I missed the girl.
"Another round, Your Grace?" asked Sera, reaching for the cards.
"Not at the moment, Sera, I'm exhausted. Today was somewhat hectic." I was not lying. In the months since Viserys had sent me packing, Dragonstone had been transformed from lonely empty castle to a secondary court, heaving with second sons and those who sought my favour. I'd even had to renovate parts of the castle long since abandoned just to fit everyone inside. Although in the long run I was calling that a win because I'd managed to stealthily reduce the amount of Dragon iconography from 'literally everywhere you look' to 'at least I can see the floor now'.
Baby steps.
But I was still frustrated. I should be out there right now, winning support, shaking hands and making deals. Instead I was forced to stay here and only act through proxies because Viserys was still sulking.
"Oh but it was wonderful! Did you see Ser Byren? He looked so handsome," Marya sighed. I fought the urge to roll my eyes. As if punishing me for my sins Ser Byren Hastwyck had appeared on the island, charged with protecting Princess Helaena during her fostering here, and Marya had been instantly taken with him. The rest of my ladies tended to form up around her defensively when he entered the room but Marya was not to be deterred.
"The man is a peacock, all show and no substance," groused Falena. Marya ignored her in favour of sighing dreamily and looking out the window.
"I wouldn't try and persuade her otherwise, Falena, she won't hear it!" Sera told the Waynwood woman as she packed the cards away. I watched in amusement as Alys stole her wine having finished her own and presumably being unwilling to challenge Maris over the pitcher.
"Well if he hurts her, our Princess will feed him to Syrax feet first if I know her," Maris interjected, shooting me a dark look. It was true I'd made it clear that I'd be very unamused if my ladies were to be hurt in any manner but Maris was baiting me and doing so blatantly.
"Dear Maris, I wouldn't feed him to Syrax, I don't know where he's been after all," I shot back. The Grafton lady laughed along with the rest. At least she wasn't inclined to rages when the targets of her acidic wit fired back.
"Oh! How is Syrax? I saw her in the sea today after your ride with Ser Laenor," said Marya, returning from her fantasy of marrying the human incarnation of stepping on lego. At the mention of Laenor, my ladies tittered in delight. He cut quite the striking figure these days owing to his frequent practising with the blade he now wore regularly.
It was enough to make a girl blush.
"You can drool all you like over our Princess's handsome Prince but I think that Ser Joffrey is a dark horse," Maris told them, shooting me another look that told me she was baiting again.
"Oh! He does seem like a sensitive soul. A crippled knight who needs a woman to soothe his hurts and he's soooo mysterious!" sighed Alys.
"Yes, I suppose you could see it that way sister, but does he not remind you of Larys at times?" asked Sera, face screwed up in disgust.
"I find little wrong with him, Sera, he serves me well and has a mind that more than makes up for any perceived physical failing," I told her. She flushed at the rebuke and offered me a small bow.
"I apologise, Your Grace, I did not mean to disparage Ser Joffrey but he does remind me of Larys at times beyond the um… limp," she said quickly before forging on as she noted the frown on my face. "They're both quiet men and work well in the background, they shun accolades and glory and they're both very intelligent."
"My apologies then, Sera, I did not mean to overreact." I relaxed back in my chair and Sera shot me a grateful smile before noticing her lack of wine and starting argument with her sister over the theft. My eyes were drawn back to Maris who wore a triumphant smile, she raised her wine glass in a mock toast, eyes twinkling in amusement.
I'd clearly fallen prey to whatever trap she'd laid out. Concerning.
"Oh! But what about Ser Hugh?"
"Ser Hugh? 'Red' Hugh? He looks like a nervous rabbit!"
I tuned out the laughter and gossip about boys and allowed myself to enjoy the wine. A fruity blend from the Reach that, surprisingly enough, hadn't passed through Redwyne hands before making it's way to Dragonstone. Don't think I haven't noticed the price of Arbor Red going up Alicent because I have and I want you to know it's extremely petty!
The arrival of a knight in Targaryen livery startled the ladies from their gossip.
"Your Grace, Princess Helaena wishes to see you."
I put aside my wine and bid my ladies farewell, dismissing them to find some sort of gainful occupation elsewhere before making my way to Helaena's room. My little sister had not been sleeping well of late so I'd given her a day free. Her attendants told me she frequently awoke screaming and crying from nightmares she refused to describe to anyone, even me. It was a concern but unless she actually confided in me, I could do nothing to help.
She was in bed when I arrived, bound in a cocoon of bedding and pale as a ghost. When she noticed me, she wriggled free with a cry and threw herself into my arms with a sob. I curled her close and murmured reassurances in her ear.
"They are just dreams, Helaena, they can't hurt you." I told her in the most gentle voice I could. She shuddered against me and clutched at my mantle.
"You will not tell me what you dream of?" I asked. I felt her shake her head against my shoulder and I sighed.
"I can't!" she sniffled.
"Then at least tell me no one is harming you or making you feel unwelcome here?" I was fairly certain that wasn't the case. The castellan had assured me Helaena's attendants were polite and well trained and that her knights were the epitome of chivalry and ready to guard her from any knaves. I believed it, her knights were the greenest Greens. If they could spot something they could attribute to me they'd do it in instant.
She pulled back from my shoulder, reddened eyes wide.
"No! I mean, no one hurt me. It's just…"
"The nightmares," I finished as she trailed off, looking glum. She nodded and I sighed.
"Well, I suppose we will have to find something for you to do then so that you do not think of them. Meet me in the yard for practise?"
Helaena's eyes lit up at that and she nodded. An hour later we stood in the Practise yard. It was normally reserved for knights that wished to spar and keep their skills sharp or for those training squires but it was all but abandoned in the midday sun with most preferring the evening or morning time. The master-of-arms, Rogar Langward, was still present though and was quick to fetch both mine and Helaena's bow for practise. It seemed we'd be getting his full attention today, a step up from the quick tips he gave me when I accompanied Laenor here.
Helaena was quite the shot for a nearly-six year old and most people agreed that she'd be terror in hunting grounds everywhere when she was old enough. At the moment though she was limited to the least powerful bow in existence and only being allowed near arrows when someone halfway responsible was around. My own ability… well let's just say it was improving. Slowly. I could hit the broadside of a barn if I concentrated?
I was much better with throwing daggers. Another weapon I'd begun practising with, albeit less publicly than the bow. After being absolutely helpless against Viserys, Joffrey had suggested it might help if I trained in some kind of self defence. Don't get me wrong, I couldn't pull a knife on the King but anyone else was fair game and that included any ne'er-do-wells and cutthroats that slipped through Joffrey's surprisingly extensive nets.
The dear man had even gone out of his way to acquire a harness that allowed me to wear multiple knives under my dresses.
"Are you going to shoot too?" asked Helaena and I realised I'd been staring off into space for the last five minutes whilst my younger sister had fired a good few arrows into the area surrounding the centre of her target. I readied myself and let an arrow fly at my own before strangling the instinctive curse as it struck the hay bales behind.
Alicent would have my head if her only daughter came back to court swearing like a sailor.
"Your Grace, you're still much too tense when lining up your shot. Remember the breathing I taught you?" Rogar's told me in his calm and deep voice. "Put the bow down and show me the exercises."
I did as I was told and when he was happy he'd ironed out any poor practise, he returned the bow and ordered me to fire again. This time the arrow at least hit the target, barely. Helaena gave a cheer at the improvement. Rogar hummed for a moment and then moved up next to me.
"Try again Your Grace, keep an eye on the target… no, not the arrow, you are looking at the arrow, look at what you want to shoot."
By the end of the session he'd ironed out several mistakes I kept making and drilled me until I could assume the correct posture and breathing required without thinking about it. He'd also strongly suggested I set aside time every day for him to work on my skills with him. Helaena's eyes had lit up and I'd given in. She was proud of her skill with the bow and it wouldn't hurt to have her improve alongside me with proper instruction.
Plus the only time she seemed truly free from her nightmares was with a bow in hand.
When I finally escaped, my arms ached as if I'd been lifting weights the entire day and my fingers felt raw but on the upside I could hit the target nine times out of ten now and Helaena's smile was wider than I'd ever seen it.
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"Joff! Please-" Laenor's sentence became a strangled cry as I let myself into Joffrey's office. When he realised I wasn't some random courtier that needed to be lied to he turned back to his ex-lover, face full of grief.
"Joff! I love you, I care not that you can no longer fight. I loved you for your spirit, not your strength of arm," he whispered. The shorter man merely sighed from his position behind the desk and shot me a pained look.
"Don't mind me. I'm just your wife," I told him, fighting to keep my tone light. I shouldn't get involved in their fights but Laenor really shouldn't keep doing this. He shot me an aggrieved look before dropping into one of the chairs opposite Joffrey's desk like a sulking child.
"Please try to understand, Laenor. I can not… I-" he floundered, seemingly unable to find the words and looking so distressed my heart ached in sympathy for him. Their eyes met across the desk, both conveying misery at their perceived positions. This wasn't time for me to play marriage counsellor. I'd tried before but Joffrey was still trying to discover who he was without the Knight of Kisses and Laenor still to keen for things to revert to how they'd been before with neither willing to budge on the topic.
"I apologise, Your Grace-"
"Please Joffrey, call me Rhaenyra and you needn't apologise. Not to me and not for this," I told him and meant every word. He gave me a quick smile that I was happy to see reached his eyes before busying himself with his papers. "Now before we start, have you any news from the Stepstones?"
"Not much. The Prince remains hard to track. Lord Corlys is still at Bloodstone overseeing construction of the new watchtowers there and Lady Laena stands ready to protect the fleet should anything happen." I turned to Laenor to find him watching me with barely suppressed laughter.
"And what has you so amused?" I asked him archly. Laenor's eyes flickered to Joffrey for a moment before his amused smirk grew into a grin. In the background, I heard Joffrey shuffle more paper and cough loudly. I stamped down on my temper, disliking whatever joke he apparently shared with Joffrey at my expense.
"I leave you to figure it out, Rhaenyra, you wouldn't believe me if I just told you," he said finally.
"I told you not to bring it up, Laenor," muttered Joffrey. I turned back to him to find him blushing slightly and scowling at the Velaryon. Unhappy with them both, I sat back in my chair and fixed them both with a Look.
"Just begin with the briefing. You are not my fools, leave the jokes to Mushroom." Not that said sleaze bag was actually funny of course, the only time he cheered a room up was when he left it. Like naughty children being told off by a teacher they shuffled straighter in their chairs and adopted serious expressions.
"The first thing to report is from Laenor's Captain Allard in Gulltown regarding movement of ships there."
"How do my men fare?" asked Laenor, frowning. His galleys had been unnecessary to dissuading the Manderlys from trying to aid the Graftons but his captains had stayed to hunt pirates around the Sisters and not so subtly remind the Manderlys that any future attempts at a Grafton restoration would go poorly. I doubted they'd act without Stark approval and the current Stark, Rickon, was very much an isolationist no matter how much his brother might raise hell about getting involved in southern politics.
Cregan I would have to deal with later. Preferably when he was closer to his age of majority and that same uncle was a cause of concern for him.
"There has been no issue with your ships. The issue is that a sizeable Arryn convoy set off from Gulltown a few days ago. We've received word that Lady Jeyne is aboard."
That was surprising. I couldn't think of any reason she'd need to leave the Vale. Worry lanced through me.
"Is there any cause for concern?" I asked, allowing worry to tinge my tone. We'd remained in close contact over the past few months and I was closer to the younger woman than I had ever been. She was clever, quick witted and an endless source of funny stories.
"Ah, I thought you were aware? She is coming to attend your nameday feast?" Joffrey told me in a dry tone that told me he was quite aware I'd forgotten my own nameday was coming up and was being facetious.
And I had. With all the business with Helaena, worrying about Laena, playing politics and entertaining my court the fact I was to turn eighteen within a month had completely slipped my mind. I groaned and sank down into my chair much to Laenor's amusement.
"I knew you'd forgotten. Not to worry, I hadn't. I asked Falena and Marya to help prepare it and told them it was unseemly that a Princess should have to plan her own nameday celebrations," my husband said, looking far to amused with himself. I shot him a glare.
"Well, I have ensured the staff are prepared for surprise visitors in the coming days. Moving on to my spies in King's Landing-"
"You have spies in King's Landing now? Since when? And how much is this costing me? I only wanted Dragonstone free of spies!" I cut him off. Laenor's smugness at the fact he'd gotten one over on me was making me grouchy. Uncharacteristically, Joffrey blushed.
"I admit my activities have expanded in scope much faster than expected but I merely acted on several opportunities when they became available. As for budget, my information gathering brings in some money to allow me to reduce the strain on your finances."
"And that means?" asked Laenor, looking at Joffrey in wonder. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat in response before directing a pleading look my way.
"I was hoping to keep my ways a secret," he said, hopefully. I decided not to take pity and instead crossed my arms, an unimpressed expression in place over my face.
"Very well. I have been buying brothels in King's Landing, Old Town, Gulltown, Lannisport, Seaguard and White Harbor. I have yet to acquire any in Lordsport as the Ironborn do not not take kindly to strangers."
Laenor's mouth fell open and I mirrored it. Oh gods, he'd pulled a Littlefinger! He'd pulled more than a Littlefinger! How had I not seen this coming!?
"Brothels! You've made us whore-mongers!" hissed Laenor, looking angry. Joffrey was trying to formulate an answer but my brain was running fast. If discovered it the backlash would be a pig to deal with but then a lot of things we did would be awkward to explain in court and like it or not, prostitutes were considered closer to furniture by the Lords of Westeros. I could see the logic in recruiting them to gather your information but… I still disliked it.
"Tell me you at least treat the women who work for you with respect," I growled, ignoring Laenor's startled look.
"They are well paid, have access to medical treatment if it's needed, I provide security for them and they have the right to turn down any client for any reason," he told me. I willed my jaw to unclench. For the working women and men of Westeros, those were ludicrously good terms for employment. Although I doubted Joffrey already had that in place out of the good of his heart. Nobody would risk a deal like that to betray him.
"But you have still made us whore-mongers. What if someone finds out?" asked Laenor after I'd given Joffrey a stiff nod. Joffrey merely looked uncomfortable again, a look that did nothing to close the pit of dread that had opened in my stomach at the news of Joffrey's methods of gathering information.
"I would say that no one would but…" he trailed off and I bit back a groan. "Recently someone has been challenging my operations in King's Landing. Outing my spies, tracking my business fronts. I worry this person may be trying to discover my identity but I believe the risk worth it. Men will spill any manner of secrets to pretty women that the rack could not drag out of them!"
I sighed and tried to massage away an approaching headache.
"What's done is done. Continue with your briefing Ser Joffrey, just… please be careful?" He nodded seriously and then gathered himself before continuing.
"More of Alicent's Greens have lost favour. Lord Gerold said that it's no coincidence that so many have lost their posts over the past few months but no one seems to know what happened. I have a few informants close to the Queen and they say she is keeping it very close to her chest. Regardless of why, it has apparently it's forced a change of tactics. She's not going for the Lords at court anymore but trying for a Lord Paramount. She is actively promising a royal marriage for the Lannisters, amongst other concessions. My spies report they are cautiously interested. They still remember losing out to the Farmans and are keen to even the odds."
"And after that she will turn her attentions to Borros Baratheon to secure the South," I didn't need to see Joffrey's nod to know I was right. "Can we court the Reynes in order to stall her?"
We both knew that actively sowing discord amongst a Lord Paramount's vassals was a dangerous game with every chance to backfire but these were desperate times.
"Let her court Lord Borros, he will side with Mother when the time comes," said Laenor, kicking his feet onto Joffrey's desk. That wasn't true, of course. In canon he'd side with Aegon in return for a marriage between Aemond and one of his daughters. He would be one of the contributing factors to the death of Lucerys Velaryon, one of Laenor's 'sons', when his daughter goaded the one-eyed psychopath into kinslaying.
"We can't bet on that. Lord Boremund loved your Mother but Borros is cut from a different cloth. He'll side with the faction that gives him the best deal." Laenor looked taken back at that, then worried.
"I agree with Her Grace. Lord Boremund was an honourable man but his son has made a few worrying moves within the capital that indicate he's looking to be courted. Lord Gerold approached him but, like many, it looks likely he seeks a marriage," said Joffrey with a sympathetic look at Laenor. "We can court the Reynes and step up our work with the Tyrells but I fear swaying yet more neutrals to our cause will grow harder from this point onward."
"Instruct Lord Gerold to sound them out for recruitment and see if he can't figure out an opening offer. We just need to prevent Alicent from having a solid grip on the Westerlands. As for the Tyrells… well, Father's punishment has been a pain but I will have a royal visit there at some point." Joffrey obediently wrote my commands down. Laenor still looked unhappy but I couldn't explain to him how I knew his Mother's cousin would betray us in a heart beat if it benefited him.
"Those are the major power moves at the moment. Lord Gerold is masterfully handling the minor moves within court so as long as you are happy with our current bearing?" I nodded. "Excellent."
Laenor and I began to rise but paused as Joffrey waved us back into his seats. He looked just as nervous as he had earlier, tongue darting out to wet his lips and he seemed to struggle for the right words to say.
"I have something else to report. Something, ah, closer to home," he said finally and our worried looks merely deepened. I couldn't remember anything worrying happening around about this time in canon. Nothing that would only be spotted by a spymaster anyway. Daemon's return and Rhea's death would be blasted across Westeros.
"Go ahead," I said.
"My spies on Driftmark have reported some worrying information in regards to Lord Corlys," Joffrey said, eyes finding Laenor. Lanor looked bewildered and glanced towards me.
"What is it, Joff? How's Father going to anger Rhaenyra now?" he asked, attempting a smile and teasing tone but the worried look in his eyes ruined the effect. Joffrey sighed before leaning back in his chair.
"It's not just Rhaenyra he'll upset. It's Lady Rhaenys, Lady Laena and yourself if I'm right," he said, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand.
This did not bode well. He'd only risk pissing Rhaenys off for something big and important. My mind flashed to Laena who was still on the Stepstones, still within Daemon's reach. Had Lord Corlys begun enacting some kind of plan to push her into his arms? My stomach was doing backflips in worry at the thought.
"When your Father last returned to Driftmark he made several visits to a certain shipwright in Hull."
Oh. Oh no. Of course, Addam and Alyn. They hadn't popped up until much later but… well Joffrey had been dead almost a year in canon by now and Laenor would never think to look.
"It seems that visit, and an earlier one, has resulted in-"
"Father is hiding bastards in Hull," Laenor's voice was cold. I watched him in surprise. His face bore no expression but he was tense, hands clenching and unclenching.
"And taking an active role in raising them when he can. Do you wish for me to alert Lady Rhaenys?" Joffrey asked and I felt a jolt of panic. Rhaenys would send them running at best or kill them at worst and I'd lose access to two potential dragonriders I knew would be completely loyal to my cause.
"No!" Laenor and Joffrey shot me startled looks before Laenor's face twisted in annoyance. "What I mean is, if Lady Rhaenys gets rid of these bastards he'll just make more, likely out of her reach this time. We have these within our grasp, surely we could subvert them? Besides Laenor, they are your brothers."
Laenor studied me for a long time, face twisting this way and that as he thought through the benefits and downsides of keeping his father's bastards alive and within spitting distance. An insult to his mother but impossibly useful down the line when it came to confronting his father. Finally he nodded, stiffly and only barely, but he nodded.
"Joffrey will keep an eye on them. Could I speak to him alone, please?" His voice was low, filled with distress and his eyes never left my face. I glanced between the two. Laenor was stiff and unmoving, face a mask of neutrality whilst Joffrey merely looked worried.
"Of course, husband. I bid you good day, Ser Joffrey."
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Laenor left for Driftmark that day and I tried not to be annoyed that he hadn't even stopped to say goodbye. Joffrey assured me I had done nothing wrong, that he was upset about their argument and the bastards, but I wasn't sure. Something about the way he'd shut down in that meeting was niggling at me.
I'd gotten to used to having him around, tricking myself into thinking we were more than friends. Riding together, the intimate touches… fooling myself into thinking it was me he really loved and that he was not just playing a part. I sank into a black mood after he left that not even my ladies could cajole me from. Not that this fact prevented them from trying when they noticed my sulks.
"Leave her, Maris, our Princess is heart sick for Ser Laenor," Marya hissed. Maris Grafton shot her a sneer but settled back down, glaring at her sewing. I ignored them, not in the mood for Marya's pity or Maris' remarks. Besides I was quite certain that whatever 'comforting' Maris had been planning would have had the opposite effect. Behind me, Falena continued pulling my hair into braids.
"That goes for you two as well," I didn't need to turn and see who she was speaking too. There were only two suspects after all. I could almost feel Falena's worried yet disapproving look being directed at my back. A particularly hard tug that had pain stinging across my scalp and suddenly I couldn't take it anymore.
"Out! Get out! All of you!"
My ladies scattered at my roar, in the distance I was vaguely aware of Syrax echoing it, but all I could focus on was the pounding of blood in my ears and the fact that my eyes were burning with unshed tears. Maris was the last to leave, casting me a look that made me contemplate violence as she left. I waited in the silence for a while before willing my body to untense, my hands to unclench and my breath to normal from the ragged panting it currently was.
I counted to ten a lot. And then threw a dagger at the bed post, it connected with a dragon head and I felt a little better.
There was a small but tentative knock on the door and I groaned, running my hands through my hair. Falena had only managed to braid half of my hair before I'd sent them all running. I must look ridiculous and lopsided.
"I said I wished to be alone," I barked when the knock sounded again.
"It's me!" came Helaena's voice and I groaned again. She wouldn't take me sending her running as well as my ladies would. Barring her entry would only similarly upset her. Her presence at my door stank of Joffrey's interference. Damn that man. I dropped into a chair and lowered my face into my hands, scrubbing them over my face as if I could wake up from this dream.
"Come in," I sighed. She trotted in, letting the door slam in Ser Byren's face and I tried to suppress a smile, tried to remain angry. It seemed my little sister had picked up on my disdain for the man and was making it clear that if I didn't like him, she didn't. To think he'd probably assumed this a promotion for coming to my notice and having me strike at him, I wondered if he still felt that way.
"Ser Joffrey said that you were upset," she said, face earnest in the way only a six year old could manage before her eyes travelled to the dagger and widened. It was hard to be angry at a six year old that worshipped the ground you walked on, especially one as genuinely sweet as Helaena. It makes my heart clench to know what happened to her in canon. Not this time, this time she would have a big sister that was worthy of her.
"A little. I miss Laenor. That is all." She frowned at me, turning that over in her mind before shrugging.
"Your hair is a mess," she finally said and I laughed. Genuinely, honestly laughed until tears ran down my face and my stomach hurt. It wasn't funny, it wasn't but… oh how could one not laugh at a such a mismatch in priorities and once I'd started, I found myself unable to stop. Helaena just pouted at my amusement, evidently thinking it applied to her, before dragging another chair loudly across the stone floor so she could clamber up onto it and begin undoing my braids.
"I haven't asked you how you're finding your fostering yet?" I asked her, once I'd calmed myself enough to speak.
"I miss Mother and Father and Aegon and even Aemond and Daeron but it's nice being with you! You let me practise with the bow and your ladies are very nice," she told me as my hair fell down around my shoulders.
"Well, that's good. Maester Gerardys says you're doing quite well in your lessons."
"Maester Gerardys is very strange," she told me, tone so serious I started giggling again. She joined me this time, hopping down from her chair with a wide smile on her face. I scooped her into a hug which she returned eagerly.
"Maester Gerardys also says you're sleeping a bit better now?" I hoped she was. She certainly looked better, more energetic with less dark circles under her eyes. A child of six should not look so exhausted.
"A lot better. I have less nightmares now and more good dreams."
I felt myself relax a little at that. For a while I'd been genuinely considering sending her back to King's Landing and Alicent. Helaena was quick to assure me she had nightmares there but surely they hadn't been that bad. Surely Viserys would have warned me? Even he couldn't be that dim. I'd feared a move to be fostered by the sister she may subconsciously view as a threat and the one her siblings definitely viewed as a threat was making them worse.
"Did you want to go and practise?" she asked, leaning back with eyes bright. I sighed again, this time with fondness. The fact she'd waited this long to ask was probably a sign of great restraint on her part so I rewarded her with a nod of assent.
A few hours later, I was bitterly regretting my weakness. Ser Rogar had taken my poor performance with the bow as a personal challenge and had become a terror during practise and Warrior damn me if I ever missed a day on the range. The fact that there was a six-year old happily out shooting me not five feet away was something of an embarrassment but I had to admit, I had improved. Long gone were the days of being a danger only to the hay and maybe extra large castle walls. I could hit the target reliably, was even starting to hit closer to the middle. Helaena and I got so absorbed that I almost missed it when a messenger in Targaryen colours found us.
"Your Grace," he said with a bow. I handed my bow and quiver to Rogar and turned to face the youth. " Arryn ships have been spotted approaching the harbour. They'll make land within the hour."
I summoned my ladies and made my apologies for my earlier behaviour before dispatching the Twins to help Helaena prepare. She had maids but the Twins liked her and she liked them. She found them funny, only the Gods know why. My ladies-in-waiting accepted my apologies gracefully and all but Maris seemed genuine. Still the baleful looks she was shooting my way lasted until she realised Jeyne was here.
"Do you suppose she might allow me to visit my mother and sisters?" she asked, voice smaller than I had ever heard it.
"That is a privilege granted at the pleasure of Lady Arryn," Falena bit out.
"Don't be cruel, Fal! I'm sure Lady Arryn will allow such a visit," came Marya's voice from behind me as she tamed the tangle Helaena had caused when she'd freed my partial braids. Maris said nothing, eyes on me.
"I will speak to Lady Arryn on your behalf, Maris," I told her after a moment. She nodded stiffly and busied herself with preparing my dress. Falena glanced between me and her before her eyes softened slightly. Falena wasn't completely married to propriety all the time, she knew when to bend slightly. Still, it was surprising to see her raise a comforting arm to Maris' shoulder and given the way the Grafton jumped in fright, Maris hadn't been expecting it either. Behind me, I heard Marya hum in satisfaction.
I… wasn't going to ponder whether she'd engineered that. Down that road, madness lay.
Three galleys bearing the Arryn heraldry glided into the port at Dragonstone. The shouts of my own dock workers and Jeyne's sailors were heard as they began the process of docking, disembarking passengers and the unloading of luggage. I watched as the party that was very evidently Jeyne's left the ship and made their way towards us. Behind me a veritable army of courtiers were assembling, each likely eager to judge how close my cousin and I were or simply see if they could ferret out any gossip.
She was smiling broadly when she reached us as if someone had just told her a very good joke. At her back was a party of Vale nobles of which I only recognised a few. One of which was Lady Rhea Royce who was making a effort to look like she was smiling but was having the effect ruined by how pale and sweaty she was. And if I thought Lady Rhea was bad, poor Jessamyn Redfort put her to shame. She was leaning on a tall, dark haired man who I was willing to bet was her brother given their similar looks and it looked like he was all that was keeping her upright. The last lord I recognised was the broad and tall Lord Denys who was beaming at me and showing no signs of sea related distress at all.
"Cousin!" called Jeyne when she was close enough that the winds could not snatch her words away.
"Welcome to Dragonstone, Lady Arryn, it is not as beautiful as the Eyrie but I'm quite fond of it anyway!" She laughed and pulled me into a hug.
"Perhaps we should proceed inside, I note certain members of Lady Jeyne's party could use some time to freshen up," Joffrey said from somewhere within the welcoming group. Jessamyn's noise of agreement turned into a groan and retching and it was with no small amount of alarm that we quickly ushered them along lest the very rare, very treasured non-dragon paved path get puked on.
"Poor Jess," Jeyne said under her breath as we made our way inside. I linked her arm with mine and brought her closer.
"Has she been like this the whole way?" I asked and Jeyne giggled and then looked guilty for doing so.
"She didn't want to come but the alternative was staying in the Eyrie by herself. She's always been terribly seasick," Jeyne told me, no small amount of affection in her voice. "Where is Ser Laenor?"
"Driftmark," I answered, voice strained. Next to me, Jeyne sighed and shot me a pained look. We reached the entrance hall and servants were quick to come forth and begin showing the guests to their rooms.
"Perhaps we can speak privately, cousin?" she asked. Lord Denys shot us both a curious look from where he was being ushered away. We ended up in my offices with wine. The balcony overlooked the docks so we got an excellent view of the Arryn ships.
"You have bad news?" I said as we sat down. Jeyne poured herself a glass of wine from the pitcher and then took a gulp before she spoke.
"I promise you we came for your nameday but I do confess to another motive. The Falcons started rough. We gathered the volunteers at Strong Song and saw early success in fighting the bolder raiders. The problem is the clans have fallen back and are raiding in reprisal across Waynwood and Royce lands." I groaned. We had been hoping the clans would not split up like that until the Falcons had more experience, that they would underestimate the threat they represented until much later. In retrospect, this was a mistake.
"It's not as bad as it sounds. We have knights pushing back the raiders but it seems we'll need more money and more resources to spread the men out further and raise more of them. I had hoped to speak to Ser Laenor regarding a further loan but… is everything truly all right between you?"
"It is my fault. Joffrey assures me he will come round but the anger is all me," I told her. Jeyne nodded, looking decidedly unreassured.
"I will have a message sent to Driftmark, summoning him back so that you may speak with him."
And hopefully we won't have marital strife in front of the guests.
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Laenor greeted Jeyne with a practised bow followed by a kiss on the cheek and moved on to greeting Rhea who managed to not make an acidic remark about decorating choices and dragons for an entire five minutes to return the greeting and finally Jessamyn who looked a lot better than she had two days ago when Jeyne's party had first arrived.
"How is Driftmark?" asked Rhea, as Laenor made himself comfortable. We had all gathered in my solar, I didn't use it often, preferring my offices closer to the docks but it seemed more appropriate as it was larger and had more creature comforts.
"Faring well! Spicetown has grown much in the past year and High Tide nears completion. We've already moved much of Father's treasures there for display. Only a few of the outer towers to complete now," Laenor replied, his face glowing with boyish delight. High Tide and Spicetown were as much his projects as his Father's. I busied myself with my wine and ignored the ache in my gut. Laenor could do as he wished and if I had convinced myself otherwise, it was my doing.
"Excellent! I must say, Terrance has been most pleased with business you and he struck whilst you were in the Vale," Jeyne said. Laenor acknowledged the praise with a slight bow of his head. "And the ships you sent to us have been a great help in clearing the waters around Gulltown,"
"Thank you, Lady Arryn. I hope to have a long and prosperous relationship with Gulltown," he said.
"Jeyne was informing me about the change of scale the Falcons will have to operate on. Is that covered by the pot your Father allocated to the Vale?" I asked him. He turned to me, shoulders tense before nodding.
"If Lady Arryn requires further loans I have acquired prior approval up until a point. I trust the current rates are acceptable?"
"I have a letter that Lord Terrance wrote up to put the matter to you. I'm afraid my education was rather lacking on such matter, Ser Laenor." Translation, Yorbert didn't think you needed to know how money works and assumed your husband would attend to it so now you're desperately trying to catch up despite knowing even if you had been taught Terrance and Laenor could still run rings around you when it comes to finances.
"I will look over his proposals and send a reply as soon as I am able to, Lady Arryn."
We frittered away a few hours making idle chatter. I was happy to see the relationship between Rhea and Jeyne had thawed considerably in the few months since I'd last seen them in the same room. Although there were still awkward pauses where one said something and realised it could be taken with offence Jessamyn's quick wit normally compensated with a joke or a change of topic.
Rhea Royce was due for a fall from a horse at some point soon and I hoped among all hope that I had butterflied it away. The removal of a powerful enemy from her borders, a much better relationship with her liege lady, a trip to see her niece… something had to have worked. I couldn't just tell her never go hawking again without sounding like a complete lunatic. Jeyne's boisterous laugh startled me from thoughts and I looked up to meet Laenor's violet eyes watching me with a weird mix of suspicion, curiosity and triumph.
"You seem distracted, wife?" he said when he noticed my focus, cutting through Jessamyn's retelling of a marriage proposal she'd had that had ended in disaster. There was an edge I wasn't sure I liked in his voice. Three pairs of curious eyes turned to us and I blushed under the attention.
"Merely thinking," I replied. His answering smile was somewhat reminiscent of a shark.
"Ah! I do believe I promised to meet Lord Denys at some point for a small tipple. Care to join me, Jeyne? Jessamyn?" Rhea rose to her feet and gestured to the two women, who mostly just looked puzzled. I suppose the woman who's life was one ongoing domestic argument could spot marital strife from a mile away. I fought the urge to cause a scene and instead wished them a pleasant meeting with Lord Denys.
"What was that for!? We may be having our differences but if you humiliate me in front of my supporters again, there will be consequences!" I snapped the moment I was reasonably sure they were out of earshot. Laenor merely sat back and took a sip of wine, watching me over the rim of his cup.
Okay, no matter how satisfying it would be to rip the damn cup out of his hand and pour the stupid thing over his head, it's a poor opening move in marital discussions. Let's not escalate. It was still hard to force myself back into the chair opposite him, feeling like a child waiting to be told off for something. He finally finished his wine and placed the empty cup onto the table, pointedly ignoring my folded arms and restless leg. For brief moment I thought he was going to pour himself some more and trust me, if he had he'd be wearing the wine, childish or not, but he leant back and studied me.
"Now, you are going to tell me what in the Seven Hells is going on," he said, interlacing his fingers and resting his chin on them. For all that he was trying to maintain a calm demeanour I could hear the frustration in his voice and it was not a new frustration. It was the frustration of someone who'd been chewing on a problem for years and was in sight of the solution.
"You will have to be more spec-" I started, only to be interrupted by his anger.
"You know damn well what I am speaking of, Rhaenyra!" he roared and I flinched. I couldn't help it. I fought to control my breathing as he froze in the chair opposite me, watching me as if I were about to shatter. "I am sorry. You have lied to me for so long, I can not bear to hear you lie to me again. So I ask, how did you know about Daemon? Where did the book come from? The plague in the Vale? How- how did you know I had brothers?"
Oh silly Laenor, I thought we'd gotten this out of the way? You see, Daemon treated Alicent and Rhea like crap and I reasonably extrapolated he'd do the same to me as women do not seem to be worth much in his eyes. As for the book, I retrieved that from Runciter's library, you do remember how my mother read to me every night and instilled in me a love of reading don't you? How I was an advanced child, precocious and ever exploring? As for it's true origin you'd need to ask the Maesters. As for the plague, illness doesn't strike just one place and it's highly suspicious that the man who would benefit from it the most is the one telling everyone about it and honestly it mirrored my situation too much for me to dismiss it. Your brothers? Simple, Joffrey wouldn't be worried about girls. They couldn't challenge you in a succession dispute and anyway, Corlys doesn't think highly enough of girls to suggest them as alternatives even if he loves their mother more than he loves Rhaenys.
Simple, logical explanations. Anyone could have made those decisions with the information I had. You are merely being unreasonably paranoid…
I opened my mouth and found I couldn't do it. I'd seen him grow and change from a scared young boy into a cool, self-assured man. He'd clawed his way from his Father's control and begun acting like the future Lord of the Tides. This Laenor in front of me was so completely different than canon and I had put that into motion. He was my husband by law even if I would never have his heart and I couldn't keep lying to him.
He was supposed to be my greatest ally. If I could not trust him then I could trust no one.
"I… was four." His head shot up as I started to speak. "One day I… remembered another life. The future, I think, and in that future I had read a book."
"You remembered the future in which you read a book?" he asked, face etched with disbelief. When you put it like that it did sound fairly ridiculous but what was I to tell him? That I'd been born in this body? That control had come and gone throughout my childhood, that it had been periods of clarity intermixed with a half-remembered dream state, that I'd finally fought my way to the fore only to find I was a child who could do nothing to prevent what was to come.
"You wanted the truth!"
"You are right. I'm sorry," he said. I scooped up my glass and poured the last of the wine into it before downing as much as possible and taking a deep breath.
Then I told him. I told him about how the future was supposed to be, about the slow decline of the Targaryen and Velaryon families, about the extinction of dragons about all that would come after. He listened in silence, face only growing graver with every twist and turn. After I had explained the Dance I went further; Aegon Dragonbane, Daeron the Young Dragon, Baelor the Blessed, Viserys, Aegon the Unworthy, Daeron the Good, Daemon Blackfyre and the Great Bastards, Aerys, Maekar, Aegon the Unlikely, Jaehaerys and finally the Mad King. I spoke of what I knew of their failings and triumphs and how much of it could be traced back to here and now, the Blacks and the Greens.
Two factions that would burn Westeros to the ground in a war it would take generations to recover from, forge precedents that would end the Targaryen dynasty's hold on Westeros and in all likelihood, result in it's extermination, as even if Daenerys could hatch three dragons in that distant future she was unlikely to hold it in the face of a winter would herald a second Long Night.
Afterwards, Laenor was silent for a very long time, processing what I'd told him. Outside, the evening had rolled in and the sky was beginning to darken. A chilly wind made it's way inside and I shivered.
"So, this is why you're so certain Alicent will act," he said quietly. "Father always wondered why you were so keen to escalate court politics to the degree you have. He said it was reckless."
I chuckled at that but there was no real humour in it. I was still waiting for the reaction, a sign of what his true feelings about this were. He was silent again, body tense as he stared at something in the distance I couldn't see. It was difficult to breath properly, as if the very air I was breathing was trying to strangle me.
"You will need to write down the exact course of events. Even if they will not happen now, it will still be invaluable. And we will need to tell Joffrey. He… He died in this recounting of history, you said? Then he is an anomaly. It will be useful."
"Laen-" He held up a hand and drew a deep breath in and out.
"I need time to think this through. I need time. You have just told me I will be murdered b- oh of course. You got rid of Qarl." I kept my mouth shut but I sensed he wasn't looking for my answer anyway, he already knew. "So… yes. I need time."
He rose on unsteady feet and took a moment to gather his bearings before heading to the door. I remained sitting, eyes burning.
"What.. Will you…" I wasn't even sure what I was asking for. Forgiveness maybe? Was forgiveness even possible? I had manipulated him from the beginning, revealing the sheer depths of what I had done to him in one fell swoop.
And I'd been so proud about the changes I'd wrought. My revelation must had ripped the foundations from his world.
Stupid. Foolish.
Slightly left of productive
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I stayed in my solar until darkness had fallen completely, my minds eye replaying my failures for me, taunting me with how my own pig-headed arrogance had led to this. I could see every mistake, every idea that had seemed a good choice at the time, every triumph that turned out to be a misstep…
Eventually, Rhea came to me bearing a pitcher of wine. She waited for a steward to light the braziers and then dismissed him. After he'd left and she was sure he hadn't hung around to eavesdrop she poured me a cup of wine and pushed it into my hands. I drank obediently.
"So, your marriage to Ser Laenor is not as happy as previously assumed," she said quietly, her face looked softer by the light of the flames. She hadn't poured any wine for herself, I noted.
"I am the one at fault," I told her, voice as numb as I felt.
"Ser Laenor can be as blameless as he likes, he is not my niece," she snorted before taking my empty cup and pouring more wine. She waited for me to drink some more before carrying on. "So, niece, care to tell me how you are at fault?"
I was silent as I searched for some way to convey how deeply I'd betrayed his trust without revealing everything to yet another person. How did you explain that you had not truly seen the world as real? That you had thought yourself so above it all that it had not even occurred to you that you were betraying someone trust by manipulating them? Rhea waited patiently, only moving to prod more wine forward when I stopped drinking.
"I was trying to lure him from his Father's grip. To strengthen the Blacks. He learned various things I said were just manipulations… I…" I choked on the lie and took another swallow of wine. "I lied to him. Betrayed his trust."
"And pricked his pride whilst you were at it?" she asked. "Men can be terrors when their blood is up. Let him stew on Driftmark for a while, Rhaenyra, he will soon come to realise manipulations or not, you are the best thing that has happened to him."
I snorted at that. He had probably wanted a quieter life than Prince Consort. A life where he could marry someone sympathetic to his situation, who would produce heirs without his input, a life where he could keep Joffrey close and whole and live out his days with the man he loved and solidifying the gains the Seasnake had made, turning treasures and prestige into a long-lasting legacy.
Instead, he ended up with a wife who saw him as a chess piece, the eyes of the realm on him, the man he loved crippled and distant and the home he was content to stay in closed to him by his Father's will. He'd been sold to Viserys for Corlys' vision for a future where the Velaryon house was ascendant.
"Thank you, Aunt Rhea, for being here," I slurred at her. How much wine had I drunk today? When had I last eaten? "But I fear my marriage to Laenor was the last thing he desired in this world, no matter how much I try convince myself otherwise."
"Rhaenyra, this is not the end of the world. Your Ser Laenor is fond enough of you, even if I can tell you wish for his heart but can not have it," her arms circled my shoulders and I found myself sobbing as she pulled me close. "Every relationship has it's bad times and good times. Give him time. He will realise soon enough that an unstable start does not have to mean a life of misery."
Like her own relationship with Daemon had worked out so well?
"I am aware of the strangeness of that statement from myself, yes. Daemon is much different to your Ser Laenor. Too proud, too in love with himself and too in love with his ancestry. He hated the idea of tainting his blood, he hated me and he made it clear he would hate any children of ours. Your Ser Laenor lacks his pride, his hate and his anger."
When I did not respond she released me, sighed and slid the pitcher towards me.
"Drink up, niece. The alcohol will dull the pain tonight and by tomorrow the memory will be further away and hurt you much less." I did as I was told. She was the expert in husband related grief after all.
When I awoke the next morning it was with vague memories of finishing the pitcher alone. I remembered being on the beach and Joffrey supervising a guard carrying me to my rooms. Maris and Alys wrestling my dress from me before I was allowed to collapse into bed. The Grafton woman coaxing a cool liquid down my throat, lips pursed in equal parts amusement and frustration. Alys' laughter ringing in my ears at something I had drunkenly mumbled and Maris looking both shocked and embarrassed.
I forced my eyes open and groaned at the light. Every beam of it felt like ice picks being driven directly into my skull. My head throbbed and my stomach gurgled unpleasantly, telling me that I hadn't drunk nearly enough non-alcoholic fluids the night before to ward off what was promising to be a really heroic hangover. I pulled the covers up over my face and rolled over, regretting it immediately as my stomach flipped unpleasantly at the motion.
"Awake, Your Grace?" came one of the Twin's voices. The covers were pried from my hands and pulled back slightly, letting the mid-morning light attack my poor eyeballs once again. I screwed my eyes shut and managed another pathetic groan. A hand on my back, solid and irresistible, pulled me into a half sitting position before the rim of a cup touched my lips.
Juice. I gripped the cup and poured it down my parched throat like it was the nectar of the gods, relinquishing it with a only vague sense of disappointment when it was finally drained. I heard whichever Strong twin was present chuckle before the sound of more liquid being poured alerted me to the possibility of more juice. I risked cracking open my eyes. Sera handed me more juice and some sort of grey concoction.
"Ser Joffrey had Maester Gerardys make that up. He said to make sure you drink all of it," she said and I felt dread fall over me. Maester Gerardys was an excellent healer. Truly one the best the Maester's had every produced but the man was terrible when it came to making foul smelling, foul tasting potions. My stomach rolled and I heaved, Sera stepped forward and caught my hand, bringing the Maester's brew to my mouth.
I allowed her to direct it into my mouth, too tired and too hungover to summon the wrath that would normally be so easy to come to the fore for such a presumptuous action. The concoction was as disgusting as I'd assumed it would be and it was the work of the moment to keep it in my stomach. I chased it with several cups of juice that Sera was only to happy to provide. Gradually my stomach settled and my headache faded.
Awful they may be but they were effective.
Afterwards I managed to coax my stomach to accept a small bowl of sweetened porridge before summoning my ladies to me. I had to keep it together, both in front of the lesser court here and Westeros at large. I felt like I was going to war as they dressed me and prepared my hair. In a way I was. Every courtesy a shield, every outfit a suit of armour, every barbed comment a sword strike and every vicious rumour an arrow volley.
I set myself entirely to playing the Lady of Dragonstone over the next few weeks as guests from King's Landing a further afield trickled in to celebrate my eighteenth nameday. Dragonstone was small but I had made my mark and it was never so obvious as in the days leading to my nameday feast. All the ancient splendour of the Targaryen's original seat in Westeros was on display. From tapestry's depicting long forgotten Valyrian myths and legends to more recent displays showing the Field of Fire and the Burning of Harrenhal.
One could not throw a pebble in Dragonstone without finding some reminder of Targaryen might. It did wonders for strangling the rumours and questions as to where Laenor was, when I was having children and just who I shared my bed with. Even Rhea had quit making sarcastic remarks regarding my choice of decorating which nothing short for a miracle. Not that her remarks weren't complete hypocrisy, the Royces might not have quite the amount of bronze and bronze-related products as I did dragons it was a close run thing.
Oh, I was quite sure that in five or so months I'd go back to hating the damn things but here and now? I felt as if I was all alone in the world with only an army of stone dragons at my back.
Not that I was actually alone. Helaena was quite insistent on dragging me to the practise range every morning so that Ser Rogar could terrorise me and she could show off the fact she was improving at a truly startling rate. Jeyne and Jessamyn contrived to fill my free time with laughter and funny stories and my ladies were quick to use their influence to see all those who pestered me or were otherwise inappropriate were ostracised by the female portion of Dragonstone. Rhea made it a point to sit at my side during my many meetings offering whispered advice that in many cases was actually pretty useful.
For all the stress that the guests for the feast caused me -Yes, Harwin had turned up, how did you guess?- there was one arrival that sent my heart soaring. Lord Gerold's arrival with his Vale delegation at his back, made doubly happy due to it's lack of Viserys and the whole host of problems he would cause by arriving. Lord Gerold was in fine health and very optimistic regarding his work in King's Landing. I was glad he did not resent me for his being there and his reunion with his daughter and son made me a little weepy. The fact that he seemed to have come to consider Jeyne as an honorary adopted daughter was genuinely touching. It seemed Westeros could produce decent parents who gave a shit about their daughters, even if they had inconvenient choices in partner.
Even if he had told me he would soon be heading back to the Vale and that Jeyne would be sending another lord to take his place.
The feast went off splendidly. Most of the Lords were Blacks but I did spot a few Greens here and there. How much were Lords sent as Alicent's spies and how many were thinking of jumping sides was a question I would leave to Joffrey, who remained as vigilant as ever. Many toasts to my health were drunk, much dancing was done and I suspected there would be more than a few maids with rounded bellies soon enough if the celebrations after the feast were anything to go by.
In fact, although I hadn't thought it possible, politics took a back seat as lords from each side mixed with one another. Cautiously, at first, but as the night wore on and wine flowed the awkwardness melted away. I myself danced with most who asked and were respectful about it. Lord Denys was a surprisingly adept dancer for such a monstrously tall man. I danced with him, Lord Gerold, Ser Hugh Redfort, Forrest Frey, Elmo Tully, Tyland Lannister and even Ser Harwin. Sadly, Joffrey declined my attempts to lure him from his corner and his brooding.
For all the fun that it was, Laenor's silence began to wear on me and I was glad for the guests beginning to trickle away after the feast was done. Even if it did hurt when a week afterwards, Jeyne Arryn announced her party would be returning to the Vale. I'd been concerned that my marital problems might have impacted the Falcons but it seemed Laenor had sent word that he would meet all of Terrance Arryn's requests for more funding. But I was still feeling rather fragile and vulnerable when I stood on the docks as they prepared to leave.
"Be well, cousin, and I do hope you reconcile with Ser Laenor. He's such a charming fellow!" Jeyne said before pulling me into a hug. I returned it and fought the urge to weep into her shoulder.
"Don't you worry about the clansman, Your Grace, we'll have them cleared out of those mountains and the Vale moving forward within the year!" Lord Denys boasted. I doubted that but I appreciated the attempt at reassurance.
"Do not forget to write to me, niece, I would hate to come to this dragon-infested island to remind you once more!" Rhea told me sharply and with a hug that told me she really, really wasn't used to hugging people. There was considerably more elbow than appreciated.
And then the Arryn ships were sailing away into the sunset and I was left alone. Well, not quite, I still had all those Westerosi nobles hanging around.
At least I had Ser Joffrey and my ladies. Well, minus Maris who'd been granted permission to stay a few months in the Vale.
Slightly left of productive
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"I must ask you to thank Ser Joffrey again, Your Grace," Marya enthused. We'd been discussing her ongoing charity efforts in my name. After our informal banishment Marya had been terrified that without her overseeing it, it would be forgotten, relegated to an afterthought as a political play no longer needed. Apparently, Joffrey had stepped in and provided Marya the name of a trustworthy middle man. Lord Gerold's Valemen had also been prevailed upon to help out with sermons about the Seven and such.
I was gathering quite the reputation as a devout and charitable woman in King's Landing. Queen of soup kitchens and orphanages…
"I certainly will, Marya. I must once again praise you for your tireless dedication in the name of the Maiden and the Mother." Marya seemed to glow at my words.
"Your Grace, you are too kind but truly I think all women should engage in more charitable works! I can't imagine looking at those children, all alone in the world and starving, and not wanting to help!"
Marya was genuinely the nicest person I've ever encountered. Probably the Westerosi ideal of the perfect woman. She was kind and caring, yearned for children of her own and husband to stand beside her and had more than a passing knowledge of politics she'd mostly acquired in her quest to help said future husband. I mean her only flaw was her ongoing obsession with Ser Byren Hastwyck, Queen's personal bootlicker.
I do not honestly know if the man has even noticed.
"I require no thanks, Lady Marya, I am a devout follower of the Seven myself and am only to glad to aid in charitable ventures in their name," said Ser Joffery, as he limped closer. Marya smiled broadly at him. "However, I fear I must steal Her Grace away from you for the moment. Something urgent requires her attention,"
I stamped down on my initial flicker of alarm and directed a smile I didn't really feel at Marya. Joffrey would not have sought me out unless it was serious and serious almost always meant extremely bad.
"I apologise, Lady Marya, but it seems duty calls,"
"Oh, that's quite alright, Your Grace, should I let the rest of your ladies know?" she asked, suddenly hesitant.
"If that's alright, Marya, I don't want to have you running back and forth if you have other duties." That was definitely the wrong thing to say for some reason because her eyes widened and she flushed before nodding frantically.
"I was going to accompany the Princess to town. I will see to her immediately." Then she was off at a speed I'd never seen her reach before without actually running. Joffrey and I watched her go, both of our faces puzzled.
"Do you know what that was about?" I asked after she'd rounded a corner and disappeared.
"I confess I find myself unsure." He replied. I chuckled at his expression, as if he had gotten so used to knowing everyone's business not knowing was actually unsettling to him. "Regardless, perhaps I should inform you in my office. I suspect you may be upset at the news."
My stomach dropped like a stone as I followed him.
"I require assurances that you will not do anything… rash," said Joffrey as we sat around his desk. Oh, that really didn't bode well.
"You have my word that after you have given me this news I will remain seated and listen to you." I told him. He didn't look any less worried and my stomach started doing somersaults.
"I am going to lock the door. You have not been objective in regards to this issue in the past." I stayed sitting while he limped past me. If it was 'I need to go burn the Stepstones now' news he had a window I could probably fit through, the fall wasn't that long and into water besides. He sat back down and took a deep breath. I mirrored the action and forced myself to calm down.
"Lady Laena has returned to Driftmark. Alone and with only Vhagar for her escort. My spies report that she seemed to be in quite some distress."
"Daemon?" I asked through gritted teeth, suppressing the urge to seek out Syrax and fly to Driftmark. What kind of distress!?
"They were unable to get closer to find out. Lady Rhaenys and Ser Laenor have been growing more aware of my activities. I would be of the opinion it's likely his doing."
Deep breaths. In and out. Count to- No! Fuck this!
"That silly idiot!" I stood and began pacing his office. "I warned her! Did I not!? I told her that Daemon would stop at nothing to have her! I swear if he has harmed her I will kill him, kinslayer or no!"
"Rhaenyra!" Joffrey barked and I turned to him. He was also standing, looking considerably more angry than worried now than. His hands were white with the force he was using to grip the head of his walking cane.
"Enough! Sit down. This is a delicate situation, we can not risk further driving away the Velaryons." I glared at him, fists clenched before forcing myself to unclench them and massage the ache from the my hand. Joffrey stood opposite me and nodded, drawing in a deep breath to calm himself.
"You will listen to me. You will stop these tantrums, you are not a child but the future Queen!" I opened my mouth to retort but he shot me a look that knocked my legs from underneath me and I sank back into the chair. "I am your man. I swore myself to you. Truly, I understand your position in this but I can no longer pander to your rages! How much time have we lost because you allowed your anger to blind you to Viserys' own rage? We can no longer afford for you to sulk at every little thing you dislike! You are eighteen! A woman grown! Sulk and rage in private, yes, but stop doing so in public!"
He retook his own seat and massaged his forehead.
"The Velaryons are your greatest supporters currently, it is not an exaggeration to say our ongoing efforts to sway the Lords of Westeros to our cause would be impossible without them. They provide the gold needed for the Falcons, your experiments and your charitable enterprises. I will not pretend to know why Laenor and yourself argued but I will not allow you to drive your most important pillar of support away from you! You are bound to them by marriage but you have yet to bind them to you with loyalty."
"The marriage tie should be enough!" I shouted before lowering my voice with some effort. "They should be falling behind me. I will tie them to the Royal house for centuries to come."
"Laenor has fallen behind you. So has Lady Laena for that matter. She dropped her entire plans for travel to stay on Dragonstone with you, might I point out, and believe me not even Corlys has managed that."
"She has a fine way of showing it," I grumbled. Joffrey raised an eyebrow and I blushed.
"Lady Rhaenys was once Princess Rhaenys. She was once considered likely to inherit the Iron Throne itself. That was taken from her twice. Corlys is much the same. Now they are both forced by circumstance to support you, the granddaughter and daughter of the men who stole the throne from them. It does not help that Viserys is a… less than adequate king."
"Less than adequate is a polite was of putting it. So Lady Rhaenys resents me." I couldn't help but feel a little betrayed by that.
"Resents you, loves you, wants you to succeed to spite the lords that rejected her and to benefit her son." I swallowed thickly at that. If Joffrey realised my emotional distress he didn't show it. "Her greatest priority is her children above all else."
"And Corlys?" Joffrey's eyes darkened at the question.
"I would see him humbled," muttered Joffrey, darkly. "His wishes to rule you and by proxy, Westeros. If we wish to ensure Velaryon loyalty, we must dissuade him of his assumption that he will be anything other than an adviser. But to do that, we must strip his last dragon from his side."
"So how do we pry Lady Rhaenys from him? As I recall, she's very in love with him for all that they argue." Joffrey leant back and steepled his fingers.
"There are the bastards. I have a theory about them." I nodded for him to continue. "I believe they're his backups. He doesn't believe Laenor can produce legitimate children and he's intending on having one of them inherit instead in return for his tireless work on your behalf. His little scheme is a direct threat to the inheritance of her own children, if Lady Rhaenys were to find out…"
"She'd kill him. And the bastards. And the mother to boot," I told him, horror growing in my gut. "What proof do you have of this?"
"He's keeping them close, visits regularly when he's at Driftmark, has begun seeking out tutors for them." Joffrey shrugged. "His spies told me he was very interested in having records of just when you and Laenor bedded each other and to report another lover, even a suspected one, immediately to him. I would have suggested it earlier but you seemed intent on keeping them alive. It's what tipped Laenor off that something was wrong, you know? You gave away the fact you knew they were boys before hand."
"I am to be Queen and he has to know that I would never approve him raising his bastards over my own husband," I mused, ignoring Joffrey's prodding at the cause Laenor and I's estrangement.
"And if he threatened to publicly named your own children bastards? The Queen already lays the foundations to claim your children illegitimate. Corlys' denouncement would cement that as fact to Westeros as a whole?"
I paled at that. Is this what he had done in the original timeline? Rhaenyra had named his bastards heirs over her own Joffrey then. A proud woman like her would have found that hard to do, perhaps Corlys had blackmailed her?
"What has Laenor told you about our argument." I asked, mouth dry. Joffrey watched me, face impassive for a moment.
"Nothing. He came to my offices and asked if I 'knew'. When he realised I did not, he left without informing me. I confess I have puzzled out some of the details. You have knowledge you should not and frequently make seemingly unsound decisions based around them. Then there is the 'Book', Laenor suspected you wrote it. He had a theory that you experienced what the Targaryens call 'Dragon Dreams' and had knowledge of the future." I let out a shaky breath. Laenor had come closer than I'd suspected with his guesses.
"Let's assume I do have some knowledge of the future." I began slowly. "Let's assume those bastards are likely to be very useful to our cause, the kind of useful that sets fire to our problems. I would very much want to keep them around if that were the case."
"Then we bring the matter to Lady Rhaenys' attention and direct her retribution along the lines of seizing control of the children." Joffrey suggested. "Raising them to our way of thinking and making it clear that Corlys has to go along with us if he wishes his legacy to take shape in the way he wants."
"We can't use the fact that Corlys attempted to manipulate her into supporting the marriage of her daughter to someone they both know is an unstable wreck on the best of days? A plot that has apparently now backfired with some sort of harm to Laena?" I spat.
"Your feelings on Prince Daemon and Lady Laena are hardly objective. She would eventually figure it out and then she would consider it another manipulation," he replied.
"Oh I think she's figured out I want Daemon as far away from me as possible and preferably in the ground," I told him tartly. He stared at me for a moment then sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. I waited for him to speak again but he seemed to have gotten stuck in his thoughts because he was silent for a long time, staring at his desk.
"Joffrey!" He snapped out of it and brought his eyes up to mine before sighing heavily again and massaging his temples.
"The fact that Lord Corlys has placed Laena into danger with an ill thought out scheme will certainly have Lady Rhaenys furious but Laena is alive and, as far as my spies could tell, unharmed. The threat of the loss of her children's inheritance will far more effectively show her the consequences of her husbands schemes." He told me slowly, using his 'I am talking to an idiot' voice.
I resisted the urge to respond to that beyond a narrowing of my eyes. He was right, I did need to stop throwing tantrums. Not slapping my spymaster seemed like a good place to start.
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Leonie46
Oct 8, 2019
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Leonie46
Leonie46
Oct 8, 2019
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#37
I left Joffrey's office with a promise to arrange a meeting to explain everything I knew, everything that had so upset Laenor, and orders to prepare rooms for Addam and Alyn of Hull. Probably their Mother too, since I doubted Rhaenys would let the girl stay once she found out about them.
Honestly, it would be a miracle if I could talk Rhaenys out of killing her.
The flight to Driftmark was pleasant enough but for the first time since I had mounted Syrax, riding her did not calm me and Syrax could feel my agitation. It took several more strikes of my whip than usual to keep her on course. I was wound up, worrying about Laena and what Daemon could have done.
Laenor met me, arms crossed but looking completely unsurprised as I scrambled off of Syrax.
"I should not be surprised you are here." He said, sounding exhausted. "How much did Joff tell you?"
"That Laena was back and probably not with good news," I replied, keeping my voice level. There was no sign of the grief that I had last seen on his features. Instead, he just looked worried and as on edge as I felt.
"Mother will not be happy but perhaps it is for the best you have come. Follow me." I did so, worry growing in my stomach. Joffrey had mentioned she appeared unharmed but that didn't preclude any number of smaller injuries or even the mental ones Daemon was capable of inflicting. Had Laena fled from him like I had all those years ago? Was Lord Corlys okay? As much as it pains me to admit it, if Daemon had hurt Laena in some manner, Corlys would see him dead. Daemon was not the type of man that was easy to murder, if Lord Corlys had been harmed…
I barely paid attention to the rich halls of High Tide and the servants scrambling this way and that. To say the entire castle was on alert would not be an understatement. Had they been like this since Laena's return a few days ago? Laenor was not exactly a font of answers to my questions. All he did was get tenser and tenser until we finally made our way up twisting stairs into the Lord's Solar.
Rhaenys was there, flanked by two men I had never seen before but had the valyrian colouring. All three had clearly been facing an angry Laena, whose hands were balled into fists and who looked as if she were three seconds away from suggesting they handle their differences atop Vhagar and Meleys. Although given how angry Rhaenys looked in turn I suspected she was three seconds away from accepting such an invitation happily.
"Cousin, why is she here? This is Velaryon business!" The older man barked, examining me as he would something he'd discovered stuck to his shoe. The younger looking one did not seem any more sympathetic to me.
"I married into this family. It's problems are my own," I replied, keeping my eyes on Laena, searching for evidence as to what could have happened. Rhaenys scoffed.
"Vae, Mal, please. She is my wife, after all. Is it so odd that she wishes discover the source of our recent… issues."
"Her problems are only our problems when she wants our gold, money or prestige, Cousin!" said the man I suspected was Vaemond Velaryon. In another life he dies attempting to claim Driftmark, was that ambition in him now?
"And her problems are only ours when we want the throne through her. Do not act like she brings nothing to the family in return," Laenor replied testily. "Or would you also claim my own Mother not worthy of being here? She married my Father for the same reason after all."
Vaemond's retort died in his throat as he snapped his mouth shut so fast I heard his teeth crack together. The one Laenor had addressed as Mal turned to the Queen Who Never Was and gave a hopeless shrug. I stepped past them all and approached Laena who didn't relax, worryingly, but did unball her fists and make an effort to appear less murderous.
"What happened?" I asked, as she desperately tried to avoid meeting my gaze. She opened her mouth.
"Laena happened," replied Laenor, cutting off whatever remark his Sister was about to make. She slammed her mouth closed and shot him a glare. In response, Laenor folded his arms, unmoved by her anger. I turned back to her and she met my eyes for the first time and then she flushed in an odd mix of shame and defiance.
"I did nothing wrong. We did nothing wrong! Rhaenyra I know you and Daemon have had your differences but-"
"You slept with him?" I snapped. She set her jaw and met my gaze and then nodded stiffly. White hot anger caused my vision to dim and my hand throb in pain.
She slept with him. The man who was already a monster. She slept with him.
"Here. Since my children are so keen to spill all our secrets to you." Rhaenys handed me a letter bearing the Velaryon seal. I snatched it from her and skimmed my eyes over it's contents. Then I stopped and went back and read it again, slowly this time.
Corlys wrote of how he had discovered the affair between Laena and Daemon, that Laena had discovered she was pregnant, had fled in the aftermath in a rage when he'd suggested moon tea. That Rhaenys was to hold Laena on Driftmark whilst Corlys sailed home and figured out what to do.
My breath came harder to draw. She was pregnant! I'd told her, I'd fucking told her! I warned her about Daemon, about how he set out to charm and seduce. She'd promised me to my fucking face! She'd sworn an oath!
I handed the letter back to Rhaenys and tried to bring my thoughts into some sort of order so that I didn't do exactly as Joffrey had warned me not to. Deep breaths didn't seem to help. The room grew narrow and my teeth hurt as I ground them together.
I couldn't drive her away. I couldn't. I'd be driving away Vhagar. I couldn't lose her to Daemon. What could I do?
This is impossible!
"I'd say our Princess isn't in your corner either," observed Rhaenys, dragging me back into the room. Laenor was next to me, hand raised as if to grab me in case I did anything rash like charge his stupid idiot of a sister.
"I will not kill my child!" Laena shot back, hand over her stomach protectively. I felt sick as hate and anger twisted it's way through my gut. We'd given her every warning we could and she'd promptly ignored it all and leapt into his bed. How long had the affair lasted? Had she been writing to me and fucking him at the same time? Did she feel any guilt whatsoever?
Did she realise how fucked she was? That not even riding a dragon would save her?
"And what will you do? Bear a bastard!? It would ruin you!" snapped Laenor.
"He will not be a bastard! Daemon will marry me." I laughed at that. A strangled, disbelieving laugh. Laena turned those fierce violet eyes on me. She believed it. She honestly believed he could marry her.
Stupid, stupid fool!
"My Uncle is married. To a woman in good health and younger than him," I told her. "And I really, really wish you good luck in convincing my Father to annul the marriage of Jeyne Arryn's chief bannerman."
Laena's eyes flickered uncertainly to her Mother who looked as if she agreed with everything I had just said but hated the fact it was me she was agreeing with. Then they flickered to her Brother, who I noted was nodding along to the point, expression as grim as I'd ever seen it.
"We are the blood of Old Valyria. Aegon had two wives, why shouldn't Daemon?"
"Cousin! Be reasonable, no good Septon would ever marry you to an already married man! The child would still be a bastard!" cried the one called Mal whose full name I could not recall.
"And! We are the blood of Old Valyria! Why should we care what others think!?" Rhaenys marched forward and seized her daughter by the arms. Laena flinched backwards, shock evident on her face at the sheer fury etched into her Mother's face.
"The only reason I have not slapped you girl is because you repeat his lies! Ask Maegor why we should pay attention to the laws of the land!" Laena pulled herself free of her Mother and scowled.
"Then I will take my dragon and fly back and be with him!"
"Then you will have nothing from us!" her Mother bellowed. "How long will you last without your Father's fleets? His money!? How long until some cutthroat stabs you to get at Daemon? How long before your baby is taken from his cradle to hurt you!?"
"Perhaps we could hide the pregnancy? Hide the bastard? She could still raise it but we just wouldn't acknowledge it to be hers?" suggested Vaemond.
"I will not abandon my child! I will not hide it!" At the exclamation I wanted to dash her head against the wall until she saw sense. I knew the problem. It was the same reason I couldn't invite her to go back to my lying bastard of an Uncle and stew in the consequences. She rode Vhagar, last of the conqueror's dragons. She'd been told all her life that made her special, now she assumed it left her above the consequences for breaking such an integral part of society.
"Marriage then," I said. "Marriage to a Lord loyal to your Father who will overlook the bastard."
Rhaenys shook her head, face doubtful.
"I can not think of one that we can guarantee will overlook the bastard. That would allow her to raise it alongside it's trueborn siblings. Besides, to propose a marriage to any lord of sufficient status would require months of negotiations, she would be showing by then!" said Mal.
"Then after she gives birth?" Mal shook is head, face a mask of unhappiness.
"Any man would spot the signs of pregnancy. If we failed to tell him before the bedding we'd… I truly dread to think of the consequences for our family," I wanted to scream. "And well, Daemon is still very much a factor to consider. He is widely known as a jealous man, what man would risk his wrath?"
"You have to have bannerman on the island you can trust, who cares not about Daemon?" I asked, desperately. Rhaenys shook her head and was about to answer when Laena cut in again, evidently annoyed that we were speaking about her as if she wasn't in the room.
"I do not need to marry! I will have the child here and return to Daemon! He will have me," she told us. At the look on my face Laenor placed a warning hand on my shoulder.
Think of what will happen if literally anyone other than you has Vhagar. Do not knife Vhagar's rider whilst you still need Vhagar.
"Laena be reasonable. We are not above those in Westeros. Even ignoring the fact that the Father is a man banished for reasons best left unsaid, you will not enjoy bearing a bastard. Westeros will not forgive you bearing a bastard," he told her, voice gentle. He loved his older sister dearly, I knew, and seeing her happily walking off a cliff was likely painful for him.
Laena's eyes flickered to me and back to her Brother. Laenor stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I have an idea. One that promises us both chance to be happy," he said in a low voice. She focused on him. Vaemond and Mal craned their heads closer to hear but Rhaenys jabbed at them, forcing them to give her children privacy. "Marry Joffrey. He is a second son, he can take your name. He will claim your child. You can still carry on with Daemon, produce as many children as you want and Joffrey will say nothing to gainsay you."
Her face twisted in annoyance and disgust. Oh no, Laenor, that's a terrible idea!
"I will not marry your lover!" she hissed. In the corner of my eye, Rhaenys went white. Oh fuck she didn't know. Oh fuck. My anger evaporated and was replaced with sheer terror that Rhaenys should learn this in such a manner. Her eyes travelled to me and her lips almost disappeared in displeasure. I swallowed and tried to catch Laena's eye, desperate for her to back track but she was to focused on Laenor.
"Laena please! We can not marry you to another man, Joffrey is trustworthy, tales of your romance will be credible and-"
"You get to drape him in our colours! Your wife is stood not a few paces away," And your Mother is too I tried to communicate through complicated eyebrow wiggling and desperately rolling my eyes in her direction. They still did not pay attention.
"You can not marry Daemon. You will not get a betrothal that allows you to raise your child alongside your trueborn ones. You will not be allowed to stay on Driftmark if you remain unmarried. Rhaenyra will not take a woman with a bastard as a lady," said Rhaenys, voice like ice and both her children jumped, both turning an identical shade of white as they realised she'd heard everything. "And your Father will not allow a marriage to Joffrey Lonmouth."
"What if we betroth her to a young lord? A child? Then hide her babe? Surely nobody would be able to tell?" came Mal's voice, clearly not understanding what had just occurred. Vaemond elbowed him in the ribs. I ignored them.
Oh fuck it, this situation's already screwed.
"Lord Corlys is not the problem. He will not speak out against the marriage publicly if we hold Addam and Alyn and if it's prestige you are worried about I will grant Joffrey land when I am Queen, enough for future dragonriders." A fierce guilt began burning in my gut as Rhaenys' eyes lit up at the mention of land. I had a sinking feeling I'd just sealed her fate. She was going to marry a man she did not want because I'd done everything in my power to force it.
Oh gods, Vhagar better be worth this.
"Who are Addam and Alyn?" asked Rhaenys in a dangerous purr.
Oct 8, 2019
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#38
Laenor brought Joffrey to Driftmark on the back of Seasmoke and made a good show of being angry with him, even as the almost gentle way he was manhandling the knight was at odds with the anger in his tone. Joffrey, in turn, made a good show of apologising and swearing that he would shame his friend no further as Laenor frogmarched him through the gates of High Tide. Laena and I watched from the balcony in her rooms.
She still wanted Daemon, I could tell. It had taken a private meeting with Laenor to get her to finally agree. The thought of him and her made me want to mount Syrax and reduce his fucking islands to cinders.
My body burned with the intensity of my anger at my bastard of an Uncle.
"Do you truly wish to marry him?" I asked, voice thick. I wanted her to say no. I wanted her to acknowledge what kind of man he was.
"I do! Seven help me I do! I do not want to marry Joffrey!" She scowled at the courtyard before dashing away tears. "Laenor says he wants me for Mother's claim. That even if he did someone how wed me, it would mean Laenor's death so he could claim me Rhaenys' true heir."
Someone was getting creative with their lying. Laenor must have remembered the details of his canon murder. Still in that time line, Daemon had killed him for Rhaenyra only after Laena died in childbirth. I tried to picture the massive bulk of Vhagar, reminding myself that letting literally anyone else have it -coughAemondcough- would be really, really bad.
Laena was an idiot but she valued her family.
"He is in love with the idea of power. You would not be the first he has used to obtain it." She sobbed and guilt flared in my gut, making me feel queasy. It was for her own good, she'd die if she went with Daemon. Die trying to reach the skies one last time and being denied.
And I'd lose a dragon.
"You'd better get to finishing those letters of yours. Laenor's forger will need them before long," I said and made a hasty exit, leaving her to her writing. My own letter to the King was not coming on exceptionally well. I'd already re-written it several times. Too much detail, not enough detail, too many inconsistencies, the plot of Corlys' too obvious and too much like an accusation… This one was a lot more promising at least.
First I had laid out the supposed details of the false affair with Joffrey; that it had started in the aftermath of our banishment and Corlys moving her to the Stepstones had been to put a stop to it. I hinted about Corlys' plan to marry her to Daemon somehow, implied it caused her desperate flight from the Stepstones into the arms of her lover. That her arrival had tipped both Laenor and I off that something was wrong and the subsequent scandalous discovery of their passion. Passion grown from a childhood together where Joffrey had been her Father's page and then squire and finished by telling him, for proprieties sake, that Laenor and I had arranged a match be made between the two.
I suspect he'd be too relieved at the Velaryon making a match with someone unlikely to upset his precious court politics to look into whether my lies matched up timeline-wise. The story was neat, depressingly common and just interesting enough to get the gossips going for a few days or so before something else came along to steal their interest. If Corlys refused our terms and pushed Daemon forward as responsible, Viserys would be able to point to the letter and name it a ploy. Alicent would know it for what it was instantly but not be able to prove and even if she could, she would not want to help Daemon find a new wife.
Alicent was out to prove the saying 'A woman scorned'.
Still as simple as it sounded on the surface it was the words that refused to come in a way that did not promise to offend him. I would have to have Joffrey look it over once Laenor had finished making a spectacle for the more obvious spies to pick up on. Oh, we'd make a show of hiding it later but it was important Westeros saw what they thought was the truth instead of the actual truth. Once they had an explanation that fit their prejudices, most would stop looking.
After I'd finished with my awful attempt at diplomacy with Viserys, I sought out my Husband. We had unfinished business, words still to say. Gods, could Laena have waited a few more months? He was in his Father's solar, busy letting people know of the upcoming wedding. When I entered he rose from the desk and faced me, arms crossed. I felt like a child caught in a lie.
"I am truly sorry," I said in the silence. He gave me a small smile and moved around the desk, coming to me and placing his hands on my shoulders.
"I know you are. Just…" he paused, searching for the right words. "I spoke to Joffrey. He helped."
I probably shouldn't kiss Joffrey but I kind of wanted to.
"You must stop acting like we are pieces you can move about the Painted Table. We are people. We can help. Share this burden with us."
"I understand." He smiled and let his hands drop. It wasn't a complete healing of the rift that had sprung between us but it was a promise things would get better.
I hesitated before asking my next question. "How is your mother?"
Rhaenys had barricaded herself in her rooms, refusing to see anyone but the maids that brought her food to her. Laenor, Laena and I had tried to coax her out to no avail. The only time any of us had gotten a reaction it had been a scream of rage and the sound of several things shattering as they were thrown against the wall.
"Still…" he trailed off. His face was drawn though. In truth I was surprised she hadn't know but then her weakness had always been her children. "She will not speak to me. Or Laena."
I held him close. She likely saw what he was as a betrayal. She'd tried to make him king once and then had married him to a future Queen. To learn those cruel rumours about him were true...
Add in the fact her daughter was pregnant with a bastard, her husband having bastard children that were potentially there to unseat her own and I could see her logic in hiding away from the world for a while. I'd probably do worse in her shoes. In fact, only smashing a few things would be downright restrained. Perhaps she was onto something with her tales of Dragon Rages.
"Your Mother is not the type to hide for long. I have no doubt she will inflict herself on us soon enough. Besides, would she miss Laena wed? Even if it's a farce?"
"No," he mumbled, burying his face in my neck. "Speaking of which, how goes the planning?"
Oh gods, do not get me started on the wedding.
With Rhaenys refusing to leave her rooms, I was the closest thing Driftmark had to a Lady of Hightide, and so most of it had fallen on me and let me tell you, Driftmark was no Dragonstone!
For a start, I'd been forced to do everything by hand practically. Food, singers, wine… On Dragonstone I would have given the order for a feast and had several taster menus and wine suggestions by the evening of the next day. I could desire entertainment and my men would be able to ask me what kind and procure it from a pre-approved list of acceptable candidates.
And on Dragonstone, I would not have to fight to have my orders followed by the staff!
Hazel Velaryon, born a Harte and the young gooddaughter of Vaemond Velaryon, was determined to stake her claim on the title of Lady of High Tide. She had managed to gather a goodly number of relatives to her proverbial banner. I'd lost count of how many times I'd had to threaten the chefs into changing the menu back from some ridiculous change she'd made or fire the singers she'd hired without my leave.
Infuriating!
One evening it boiled over and I was all but ready to march her out to feed her to Syrax when finally the true Lady of High Tide emerged from her rooms. Immaculately dressed, bathed and looking every inch the beauty she was purported to be in full Targaryen colours. Which was odd because she normally shied away from red and black despite still bearing the Targaryen name.
"Mother's tits! I am indisposed for just a few days and you've all but drawn swords on one another! This is my daughter's wedding you are fouling up. Well you shall do so no longer!" She had bellowed, striding into the hall as if the past few days had not happened.
And that had been that. We all awkwardly avoided the topic of Laena, Laenor or the Bastards and she in turn acted as if the revelation had never occurred. Well, apart from the fact she refused to even brook wearing her usual teal ensemble.
The Lonmouth's had sailed in a week later and they had apparently decided to bring everyone that could even claim the name in reinforcements. Joffrey's parents, siblings, cousins and distant relatives had all presented themselves to Laenor with apologies for his behaviour. To say his Father had been angry to discover his son was giving up his name had been an understatement. Laenor had been secluded with him for quite some time before the Lonmouth patriarch had finally given in and offered his blessings for the match.
After all the relevant actors were assembled, the preparations took on a rushed feeling. The only thing that could foul our plan now was Corlys arriving early. As his Heir Apparent, Laenor was Corlys' voice on Driftmark whilst he was not present. That he knew Corlys would not approve of what he was doing meant he was already toeing the line of Westerosi legality with arranging the wedding. If Corlys turned up and said no, things would become complicated.
It was a relief when the day arrived and there were no signs of his fleet on the horizon.
The halls of High Tide were decked out with bunting, the smallfolk had been given the day off from their usual work and anyone who had any claim to fame had crowded into the reasonably large Sept that had been raised alongside the new castle. As Laenor's wife and a Princess to boot I was given pride of place in the front rows next to Rhaenys.
Laenor gave his sister away and I could see how she flinched when her brother took her hand and how he looked pained in turn. She paused as she saw Joffrey, to the untrained eye it probably looked as if she were momentarily overwhelmed but I could tell it was reluctance that caused her to still.
Even miserable, she was jaw-droppingly beautiful in a white samite dress, the train of which bore seahorses made of emeralds and which the silver lace was so delicate I feared it would tear. I wondered where they had time to find such a piece but then again, it was likely it had been made when the contract with Tycheo was made. After all such a piece must have been hundreds of hours of work!
Once upon a time, the Seasnake had intended for his children to have only the best.
There was a tense moment as the Septon began saying the vows where she remained silent for a beat to long but she eventually said them. Once that panic was over, I allowed my thoughts to wander. Perhaps I was being to harsh on the Lord of the Tides, turning him into a villain frothing at the mouth. His actions did make sense in a twisted, Westerosi way, I supposed, and it annoyed me so much that I could see that.
He'd betrothed his son to a Princess who would become Queen and only begun seeking his bastards when he came to suspect his son would be a cuckold. He'd tried to marry his daughter to the next Sea Lord and then schemed to marry her to a Prince he assumed he could control. He'd fought for his Wife's claim on the Throne twice and nearly started a civil war the second time round.
In front of me, the differences between a normal wedding and a wedding in which the Groom gives up his name to join the brides family became apparent. There was no cloaking of the bride in his own house colours but nor did Laena cloak him. To admit you were relying on your wife's protection, even symbolically, was too much for the normal Westerosi male.
Actually scratch that, it was too much for even Joffrey and Joffrey was the most cosmopolitan and urbane guy I'd ever met in Westeros.
Joffrey divested himself of his house colours, handing them to his Father with a bow. The man took them and I thought I saw a teary eye there for a moment. Then Laenor stepped forward and, as acting Lord of the Tides and head of House Velaryon, handed Joffrey a cloak of sea green and silver. Joffrey took it and their hands brushed over one another.
Next to me, I heard Rhaenys inhale sharply as she noticed.
There was a respectful silence as Joffrey was cloaked in Velaryon colours and returned to Laena's side. They faced one another. Joffrey looked every part the nervous groom who knew he was marrying far above his station. Laena looked like she was seconds away from vomiting on him which… okay, not the end of the world. People are always nervous at their weddings, right?
Vhagar, Vhagar, Vhagar, Vhagar… think of the really big dragon you don't want your dick of an Uncle or psychopath of a Brother to get their hands on.
"With this kiss I pledge my love and take you for my Lord and Husband."
"With this kiss I pledge my love and take you for my Lady and Wife."
"I do declare these children of the Seven man and wife; one flesh, one heart, one soul, now and forever!"
And then it was time for the feast.
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The feast was hardly seventy-seven dishes and not even close what someone of Laena's station would normally warrant. She was making a show of looking happy from her position next to Ser Joffrey but I could tell it was strained. As the dancing began, I caught her attention.
"How are you faring?" I asked, dropping into Ser Joffrey's abandoned seat and making a point of being polite for Joffrey's sake. Rhaenys had requested a dance and the poor man hadn't been brave enough to refuse. From the looks on both their faces and Rhaenys' lips moving I'd say the new Velaryon was having a not-so-friendly warning about which of the siblings he was interested in bedding. Laena followed my gaze and sighed.
"Mother blames him, you know?" I raised my eyebrow at her and she blushed, more red coming to her cheeks that were already flushed from the wine. "On the upside, she thinks you've the patience of the Mother now! She thought you and Joffrey were lovers."
Oh geez, that explains a lot.
"Whilst I'm happy Lady Rhaenys no longer rates me as a homewrecker, I asked if you were well." She regarded me through violet eyes for a moment before a small smile crept across her face.
"Homewrecker? You say such odd things sometimes, Rhaenyra." I was about to take her to task for ignoring the question again when she sighed and answered. "I am as well as can be. It's just… a hard thing to swallow. I don't want this and yet Laenor says if I do not, I risk everything."
She still believed that somehow he would marry her if she just went to him. Laenor's lies may have wrestled an agreement out of her but it was clear she found them hard to weigh against her feelings. I cursed my Uncle again and forced a pleasant smile onto my face. I did not know what it would take to get her to see the truth. I'd laid out his desire for power, Laenor had 'speculated' as to his motives for the affair. She seemed genuinely wary of him but still proclaimed to love him..
Remember, you need the dragon. Don't slap her silly, you really want her dragon.
One of her drunker cousins clambered to his feet and Laena tensed. The dreaded call for the bedding could come at any moment after all. I had hated my own bedding, being lifted into the air and stripped by a gang of drunken, lusty men. Worse still, they hadn't exactly held back on grabbing what they could reasonably write off as an accident to their equally drunk fellows. My body had been a mess of bruises the next morning and Laenor hadn't fared much better, the women had turned out to be just as grab happy as the men.
And some of the jokes and suggestions they'd shouted! I had been much older than the seventeen they thought me and remembering some of them still made me blush.
The drunken cousin merely called for another toast to the health of the newlyweds to the immediate happiness of the hall. A few more toasts followed and I was glad for the amount of food I'd managed to choke down. Had I drunk this much on a normal meal I'd probably be passed out in a corner right now. We settled into a companionable silence and watched the revellers party. Rhaenys eventually released Ser Joffrey who staggered his way up to us looking as if he'd just been fighting for his life, although given the look Rhaenys shot at his back, that might not be too far off.
He sat next to us and commandeered some wine, draining the mug.
"I haven't asked how you're holding up," I said, feeling guilty. Laenor had been the one to lay our plan out for him and persuade him to go along with it. I had barely had time to ask him how he was doing. He was marrying Daemon's seconds as disgusting as that concept was, claiming his bastard as his own. The fact that the marriage would not be a happy one went without saying as Laena still looked vaguely discontent even when she was supposed to be playing the blushing bride.
"Well enough. I will not complain that I have been given a beautiful bride, a chance to serve the future Queen and the esteem of the future Prince Consort," his gaze drifted to Laenor, who was entertaining some of his female cousins. "Giving up the Lonmouth name… it is a painful thing but I… it is needed."
"Do you intend to reconcile with Laenor?" asked Laena, leaning over me so that Joffrey could hear her lowered voice. She still felt guilty she'd outed him to her Mother I gathered. Even decked out in her wedding gown, she still smelt of dragon and the sea air.
"I hope to-" He was cut off.
"The bedding!" Laena snapped back into her chair and shot me a terrified look as the first call went up and was echoed by most of the hall. Men and women surged forward, Laenor leading the men, shooting glares at some of the dirtier guests. Joffrey didn't look so much better, he was trying to compose his face into his default but the trapped look in his eyes gave it away. Did anyone actually enjoy this tradition?
Was it cruel to make them go through with it?
I fell in beside Joffrey and helped the crowd of women lift him, paying special attention to his leg so that it did not pain him. Some of the lesser Velaryon's complained about how fiddly it made shucking him out of his clothes but were hushed either by his sister or, surprisingly, Lady Rhaenys herself. Still, they managed to strip him and both myself and Rhaenys managed to ensure he wasn't dropped on the way before he was carried inside the set of rooms he would share with Laena and dropped onto their marriage bed. He was as red as a tomato as we left with some of our group still calling out decidedly lewd suggestions for the bedding itself.
We met Laenor's group coming out as they delivered a naked and equally as embarrassed Laena. He moved back back to stand at my side as she was dropped next to Joffrey and given the last few ribald comments. I caught her eye as the door was closed and tried not to think about how horrified she looked by the whole ordeal. Laenor clapped his hand on my shoulder.
"Don't worry so much about her, she's hardly a stranger to-" His Mother's meaningful cough cut us off.
"I think it's time we had a chat. Just us two, don't you?"
It was with a growing sense of doom that we trailed away from the crowds still shouting their crude phrases and headed towards the Lord's solar. It was hard to tell who was more tense out the three of us but it was certainly a close run competition. I turned down her offer of wine when we were finally seated, which she promptly ignored by pushing a goblet into my hands.
"So," she said, eyes flicking between us as we sat there. I didn't know about Laenor but I felt much like a naughty schoolchild, right now.
"So," parroted Laenor, looking disturbingly cool about the whole business. He was ready to come out of skin though, he'd been waiting for the other shoe to fall with his Mother since she'd taken control of the preparations and emerged from her rooms. Now it seemed it was time. I placed my hand on his and he spared me a small smile.
"I don't understand that. Those little things. Did you practice?" she said, nodding to our entwined hands.
"Not really. It's a gesture of comfort," I replied as Laenor stared at our hands as if he'd never given it much thought before. Rhaenys nodded and shifted. We were quiet for some time longer. At a few points she opened her mouth to ask some question or other only to close it once more.
"You will not have children then?" she finally asked in a small voice. I'd never heard her so… dismayed. My heart ached.
"Rhaenyra assures me there are ways around my… condition," Laenor said and Rhaenys' eyes came to rest on me. Whilst it was true there were ways, I had never assured him so to my knowledge. Still, I nodded along.
"And they would be his? My grandchildren in truth?" she asked.
"Yes. No other man involved," I assured her. She nodded to herself before taking a deep and shuddering breath and I realised this woman who'd faced down a King and his entire court, who in another time would fight two dragonriders by herself, was dangerously close to having a complete breakdown.
I wasn't sure what to do with that information.
"I am sorry that I am not the son you wanted, Mother, but I will not stand before you and pretend I'm ashamed of myself. I love Joffrey-" His voice broke and I wasn't sure who I wanted to comfort more. Rhaenys laughed through her tears suddenly and pulled her son close.
"Not the son I wanted. You fool! I do not pretend to understand and I do not pretend to approve but you are my son. I have been so proud of you in these past few days." They both curled close to one another and I felt like an intruder in this family moment. "And you, I do not pretend to know how you can put up with this behaviour but… I thank you for not telling the world."
I jumped as she addressed me before shooting her small smile. It seemed Laena hadn't been wrong about her change in perspective.
"I thought you too keen to play the helpless baby bird, needing to be rescued. To keen to let others do your work for you but…" I cried a little. I couldn't help it. "I am sorry."
Everyone was a little weepy after that although I still avoided the wine. Laenor and Rhaenys had no such compunction and each made surprising inroads into a pitcher as Laenor came completely clean with his mother, explaining away her queries and worries. Eventually, with me providing support for a much more wobbly Laenor, we reached our rooms and fell into bed. He was smiling so widely I thought he'd break his face and I fell asleep listening to him chuckling to himself.
The castle was quiet the next morning with most of it's occupants nursing splitting headaches and the other symptoms of a hangover. No one had held back in their drinking and even I was missing Gerardys' cure-alls, no matter how foul they tasted. I stuck with mint tea and bread with an array of fruit preserves to dip it in to settle my troubled stomach.
Afterwards I dragged Laenor to the practise yard to help me with my archery. Ser Langward would only find new and cruel ways to torture me if I slacked off without him around. Not that Laenor was much help, curled up in the corner and cursing the sun, wine and his headache. Joffrey and Laena arrived soon after, arms entwined and looking every inch the happy couple. I took pride in how wide her eyes were as she watched me land arrow after arrow on the target. Still a little haphazard in their placement but at least I didn't embarrass myself by shooting a passing servant or something as equally ridiculous.
We chatted about nonsensical things for a while, each dancing around our own little awkward topic. Joffrey and Laenor regarding their still clear love for one another, Laena and Laenor regarding the fact she'd slept with the man he loved last night, Joffrey and I due to the promise of my future knowledge and Laena and I due to the terrible gut burning guilt that welled up when I thought of how I'd forced her into a marriage she'd didn't want for a selfish need of her dragon and how it clashed with the utter rage that she'd slept with the man that had all but maimed me.
"… and now I have the most horrid bruise in the most awkward place. I swear that man is a menace!" Laena was telling Laenor, who was listening with clear amusement and a little bit of trepidation. Their relationship was shaky, currently, and it would need time for them to return to the easy way they'd had about them before.
"Back from your thoughts?" Joffrey asked quietly.
"It is nothing, Ser Joffrey," I said, unable to shake the feeling I'd made a terrible mistake.
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Seasmoke and Meleys were restless. They were lay about the beach, basking in the mid-day sun alongside my own Syrax, but I could see signs of their displeasure. It was reassuring in a way, it meant that their riders were all equally as restless and less likely to do something foolish like side with Daemon. Since I'd made it very clear I'd take a dim view of anyone that did so. It was less reassuring that Laena's Vhagar was no where to be seen.
I shifted with anxiety once more. Caraxes had been sighted. I should have foreseen that Corlys would bring Daemon. That Daemon would impulsively gamble his head and kingdom for a better chance at Laena's bed…
Corlys had left a large part fleet anchored at Bloodstone by all reports and had taken only his flagship, the Seasnake, and a small escort back to Driftmark. The ship was his pride and joy and I could see why. It dwarfed any other ship I'd seen, practically a floating castle of wood and steel. It boasted a reinforced frame and the ability to carry far more soldiers than any mere cog or galley. Anything it didn't immediately smash and sink in a ramming action would soon find itself up against Corlys' finest men, all with top notch equipment and training.
You had to hand it to him, there was a reason Viserys wasn't quite willing to let the idea of him being Master of Ships go.
"Never one to arrive without a fanfare," Rhaenys muttered from somewhere to my left. I couldn't bring myself to smile, to wound up, too tense. Next to me, Laenor was much the same. We had decided not to hide the new addition to the family and had simply started out by draping Joffrey in as much teal and silver as we possibly could without him looking too ridiculous. That, combined with the arm thrown around a tense Laena's waist, would hammer home the point far better than any spoken word could.
As the ship began docking, Caraxes landed on the beach. The reaction of the other dragons was instant and noticeable. Syrax had begun outright snapping and snarling, Seasmoke had risen from his prone position, sending a spray of sand across the beach as it dug impossibly deep grooves with his legs. Only Meleys had not moved or reacted much but I could see the eyes of the scarlet dragon trained on the newcomer in warning. As if sensing the danger, Caraxes claimed a stretch of beach much further up and the dragons calmed.
I dragged my eyes away from them and refocused on the human arrivals. Corlys was easy to pick out amongst his men. He was the centre of the whirlpool of activity, passing down commands in one moment and laughing along with his men the next. I could not see Daemon though. He was the arrogant type. He wouldn't slink off the ship to go hide. He'd flaunt breaking his banishment, he'd want a grand entrance side by side with the Seasnake in the shadow of Westeros' greatest ship so that all would know he had returned.
So where was he?
"Where is he?" Laenor asked, unknowingly echoing my thoughts.
Then as if on cue, a tall figure bounded down the gangplank to the cheers of the men below. It was undeniably him. My body stirred with interest and I hated myself. He was beautiful. Not in the way Laenor was, his features were thicker but valyrians didn't do ugly and Daemon was beautiful by our standards too.
"Just be ready for some kind of trick," I replied. He nodded, pale. He wasn't looking forward to what would come. He might have skirted disobeying his Father before but this… this was far past rebellion. I rubbed my thumb across the back of his hand and he squeezed mine in return.
Next to us Laena was tense in Joffrey's arms, looking deeply unhappy. Joffrey had been upset, he'd wanted more time to poison Laena thoroughly against my Uncle. Without that time Laena was in danger of falling right back under his sway. Given the way she was watching the swaggering figure following the Seasnake, I suspected he had quite the challenge on his hands.
Joffrey had told us we must see her as a battleground, each fighting for influence over her. He had the fact she loved him but we had the promise of a better future for her child and the esteem of her family. He'd told me, made a point of it, that I should be extra nice. No anger. No rejection. I was to be the face of his efforts to win Laena over.
I could see the exact moment Corlys saw Joffrey and realised what they had done. He actually stopped, the polite smile fell from his face as he fought with what was clearly rage and frustration. He had moved his daughter about the board like a chess piece and he was just now realising that she had, at some point, gotten up and walked off leaving him in check. His eyes went from his daughter and new Goodson to his son, where they narrowed in accusation.
Daemon came to a halt behind him, eyes narrowing as he too realised. His had fell to Dark Sister and I mentally reminded myself where I had my knives and how to retrieve them from the folds of my dress as quickly as possible.
Rheanys was the first to greet them, sweeping forth and pulling her husband into an embrace that I was almost certain included hissed instructions in his ear and the threat of broken ribs because when she pulled away he'd managed to arrange his face into something more polite if a little strained.
Something similar occurred with Daemon although with far less success given he still looked furious as they reached us, hand still tapping the hilt of the legendary blade of Queen Visenya.
"Lord Father, welcome home." Laenor said as we stepped forward, giving his Father a polite bow which Corlys acknowledged with a stiff nod. "Prince Daemon, welcome to High Tide!"
Daemon's lips peeled back into a snarl but he returned the greeting after Rhaenys not so subtly elbowed him in the side. Curiously, he cringed away from her.
"Laenor, it is good to be home. We have much to discuss," When he spoke his eyes were on Laena and Joffrey again. "However, first I must bring my dear Gooddaughter dire news. Your uncle has been injured in the fighting. I have brought him back here to heal and rest. I would beg your pardon and ask for your support in asking your Lord Father to lift his banishment in this case."
Oh you smooth bastard. There is no way in hell Viserys would let Daemon 'heal up' on those rocks without a skilled Maester with every chance of being killed or dying of infection and I can not object without the optics being terrible. So despite wanting to scratch his face off, I smiled sweetly at him.
"Of course you have my support in this, Lord Corlys." Said through gritted teeth but said all the same. "I will write to my Father with this news."
"I thank you for your mercy, niece, it is good to see you once more. You and Ser Laenor make quite the beautiful couple," Corlys frowned at that and Daemon seemed to remember himself. I flexed my angry fingers.
"Laena… you left so quickly I feared something was wrong," he said, catching her hand lowering his lips to it. I wanted to stab him with his own stupid sword as she blushed. "And now I find you a married woman it seems."
"It is… yes. I am sorry you could not be there." Laena stop flirting with him in front of everyone! Daemon turned a nasty smile to Joffrey, who merely nodded. I mentally went over the downside of stabbing him and running away to Yi-ti with Laenor. Corlys embraced his daughter stiffly, both looking as if they'd rather be hugging an old fish.
The rest of the Velaryon's made their welcomes with bows and curtsies. Most were polite, some genuinely warm but both his brother's children greeted him with such an icy politeness that he seemed startled by it. Vaemond and Malentine had not held back on telling their families about the bastards and whilst most in the extended family did not believe it… well, it mattered not now. Addam, Alyn and Marilda were safely on Dragonstone and far away from any reprisals.
Although I could tell Corlys wanted to head inside to find out just what his son had done, we were forced to observe the niceties. A small meal to celebrate the Seasnake's return. That was awkward but navigated well if extremely carefully with neither side willing to address the elephant in the room. Or rather, the ex-Lonmouth in the room.
Even Daemon managed to behave himself for a few hours. His familiar suave manner well in place. Compliments and jests delivered with impeccable timing, a facial expression of outward calm that never bordered on apathy and always ready with a bawdy tale or two. In fact the only time he broke the illusion was to fire acidic and borderline insulting comments at Laenor and Joffrey.
Oh but I could see the strain. How his eyes flickered to Laena just a little too much. How his expression tightened every time she turned to address Joffrey… It would also seem he was actually injured, taking a knife during a brawl. Daemon had survived years on that island without any major injuries and yet losing Laena threw him off enough that he let some random pirate through his guard.
Huh.
I could tell Corlys was very much on edge when Laenor, Laena, Joffrey, Rhaenys and I finally made it to his Solar. He'd sent Daemon away with a whispered and, in some cases hissed, conversation. My Uncle had not taken it well but in the end he'd bowed to Corlys' demands, clearly Driftmark is an isle of wonders if even my Uncle bows to good sense occasionally.
He seated himself behind his giant desk and watched us all before slamming a fist into it. Unfortunately for him, his family seemed completely unfazed. Rhaenys and her children looked mutinous. Joffrey had defaulted to his solemn 'I'm talking to royalty' demeanour in which he stared at a bit of wall three inches left of your face and I… had flinched. Gods damn it!
Laenor took my hand.
"What happened?" he asked, obviously struggling not to bellow. "I told you to remain on the Stepstones whilst I sorted things out with Daemon. Instead you hare off and marry your brother's lover?"
At that revelation, he watched Laenor with a triumphant gleam in his eye. So Corlys had known but Rhaenys had not. He looked very disappointed when no one reacted in shock and horror and instead what he got was his wife cracking him about the face.
"You knew!?"
"Of course I knew! I never told you to spare you the shame but I knew," he replied after a moment of silence, rubbing his face. His eyes fell on Laenor. "I trust you told her to get her onboard with this disgusting plan to marry your sister to him?"
"Laena told her," Laenor said with calm he clearly wasn't feeling as his hand tightened in mine.
"You do not have the right to anger here, Lord Corlys, you threw your daughter to my uncle with the intention of this happening," I said, coolly. I was determined I wasn't going to be the first to explode, not when the Velaryons had more right to anger.
"She was there to tempt him! She chose to leap into bed with him!" he rose to his feet and glared at us. "Then I find out you're pregnant, that you shamed yourself and then you shame yourself further by keeping the babe!"
"Daemon told me you would ensure we married!" Laena shot back, only her mother's hand keeping her from marching over to her Father in rage. It seemed her anger at me and her brother might have been transferred from the way she was almost struggling against Rhaenys.
"You were supposed to be an incentive, a reminder of what he could have! He'd given up on escaping the Royce woman, I needed to secure the Stepstones for our future and instead you have married a second son from the Stormlands! I would have made you Queen had you restrained yourself for a few months!"
"A queen, Father. You married Laenor to THE Queen!" she shouted right back.
I tried not to feel guilty at her anger. I had decided for her that she wouldn't marry Daemon even though she'd clearly wanted to. How did that make me any better than Corlys? Then my anger crept back because she did want to marry him and how dare she!? I wanted to laugh at how twisted up inside this whole business had me.
"Your mother should have been THE Queen! You should have been the Queen and your brother your King! I was trying to give you a match worthy of you," he sat down heavily and brought his hands up to his face, fight draining from his body. "And now even if you had not married Joffrey you would have nothing. Not with that bastard growing in your belly."
"Not true," Laenor said as Laena recoiled from her Father. Corlys looked up at him and then looked at me when Laenor nodded in my direction.
"You would grant them lands then?" he asked me.
"I will, when I have them to grant. In the meantime I intend to name Laena as one of my ladies," I confirmed. "Of course, this is provided you do not do anything to harm Laenor and I's children."
Corlys ran his hands over his face and sighed heavily. Then he laughed, an ugly sound full of despair, and leaned back in his chair to face me. In that moment, I was startled to find he truly looked his sixty plus years. He looked… defeated.
"And there is the sting in the scorpions tail. You would have Laenor give Driftmark to your bastards and hold my own daughter's future hostage," he bit out. Laenor snorted in frustration. "Do you accept this, my love? Our son will not bed her. As like as not she'll take some man as her lover and pass off his son's as legitimate."
"Rhaenyra and Laenor have some way of ensuring trueborn children," Rhaenys growled. "At least my son would inherit this way. You would have my son robbed of his inheritance!"
"We found Addam and Alyn, Father." Laenor elaborated, at his look of confusion.
"You… you have not…?" Corlys face was white with sudden fear, glancing between his wife and son. Rhaenys' face had gone stony, eyes promising retribution for the unfaithfulness.
"I am no kinslayer. They are safe." Corlys' shoulders slumped at the news.
"I could not let… some faceless knight's children have Driftmark. Not ahead of my own blood. I'd always thought I could marry Laena's children to make sure... Addam and Alyn… they were never meant to be anything other than a last resort." He stood up and placed his hands on his son's shoulders. "I have only ever wanted the best for you two. Wanted to see you take your rightful places as rulers. Be it of Braavos, Westeros or the Stepstones. You should have worn crowns… I failed your mother, I did not wish to fail you too."
See, now I just felt like a complete idiot.
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For three days we remained on Driftmark with nothing giving in, no outward change. Daemon did his best to play the suave suitor, eager to offer dragon flights and bad poetry from Lys that never the less had her blushing. He worked to catch her alone, weaved pretty tales of the idea of destined souls and running away together. He was very very in love with the idea that he was the only man Laena had ever loved and would ever love.
He always had a high opinion of himself.
Everyone else worked to pry her from his influence. Every slip of anger on his part became our ammunition and every genuine, sweet thought he had was a strike at our assertion he was a was caught between her family and the man she loved and nobody had any idea where she would jump. So we all settled into the playing tug-of-war with the rider of the world's largest dragon. I'd never wanted to scream at someone more and been completely unable too.
Still as long as I kept my cool, Joffrey assured me, we would eventually win. Daemon was not a man given to long, thought out planning. Eventually, he'd mess up and all that was left was to capitalise on that.
Provided we played our own parts exactly as he asked.
At least Rhaenys and I were allies once more. It almost felt like old times, racing through the air around Driftmark and bitching about Daemon. Well this time with the added spice of bitching about Laena too. And occasionally Laenor. She was a lot less blind when it came to her children's faults after being so rudely awoken to them.
It was Viserys who broke the status quo in the form of a letter informing me that he was coming to visit, having felt guilty that he'd missed my nameday feast. It probably had more to do with my letter and Daemon's return but it was still the first time I'd ever been genuinely happy to see a letter with the King's seal on it. I'd promptly convinced Corlys it was imperative I bring Laena with me to Dragonstone.
Although it still took her mother threatening violence to get her to go.
Thankfully, my bureaucracy worked in my favour again. They were quick to get everything in the castle up to royal standard. Granted, that was not that hard these days since half of Blacks had moved in. Still, it meant a feast at the very minimum and I couldn't get away with just the normal three course style. I relished demonstrating it to Laenor, recalling the horrific days when I'd been forced to plan Laena's wedding.
Viserys arrived soon after, half his court in attendance on him, with Alicent and my brothers trailing behind. Robert's arrival at Winterfell this was not, despite the crowds that turned out to see their king. Although Viserys was certainly giving Robert a run for his money when it came to his girth. It was sort of depressing really, like the trim and man from my youth had died with his Father.
I felt Helaena's body language change when she spotted her mother and brothers. I was amused to see she was almost quivering with excitement. I placed a hand on her shoulder, hopefully she knew not to dart out at them before ceremony had been observed but she was young and unused to being away from her Mother. For all that she was mature for her age, she was still only six. We bowed low as Viserys and Alicent approached and I was glad that my ladies had taken to tutoring her in etiquette as her bow was much improved.
The Queen was not looking at me at all, her eyes were on her only daughter as if searching for unreported injuries or some kind of harm. Aegon and Aemond were acting like two children who'd just been on a reasonably long journey and were then having to stay still and be polite. That is to say, they weren't behaving all that well. It was Daeron that made my eyes nearly pop out my head. He wasn't a pink bean anymore! He was still being held by a nursemaid but he looked to be doing a good job at squirming free. Could a one year old even walk?
Oh well, maybe I could get some bonding time in with him. He might not remember later down the line but it was never to late to start trying to PR your way past the whole 'Mother knows best' thing Alicent had going on.
"Welcome to Dragonstone, Your Graces, the castle is yours," I said, as we stood. Viserys studied me, face solemn in a way I couldn't quite figure out. I borrowed Joffrey's tactic of staring just past the royal earlobe and adopted a blank face in defence. Then a large smile broke out over his features and pulled me into a hug that drove the air from my lungs
He did the same for Laenor, leaving him staggering, and then scooped up Helaena, swinging her around as she laughed in delight. In the corner of my eye, Alicent's face softened a little now that she could see Helaena seemed well.
"My Queen." I bowed slightly as she approached. Fun fact: I had to bow to her if Viserys was around. Something she liked to take advantage of. That being said if dear old Dad was nowhere to be seen, she had to bow to me. Funnily enough, we didn't speak much on days Viserys wasn't by her side.
"Princess," she murmured in acknowledgement as Laenor and the rest bowed in greeting. "You have my thanks for watching over my daughter so diligently."
"Helaena is a sweet girl," I told her, maintaining my best civil tone. "My brothers look well. Daeron has grown so much."
Alicent turned to regard them just as Aemond thumped Aegon in the back of the head. I covered my laugh up with a cough. The two boys glanced up and caught our gaze. Aemond flushed in embarrassment but his brother paled as our eyes met.
Poor kid.
"They are well. Daeron is every inch the rambunctious child his brothers were," Alicent told me as she turned back, favouring me with a gracious smile and putting extra stress on the word brothers. I had to hand it to her, this woman was a top notch actress. Viserys joined our little smiling competition a moment later, handing the still giggling Helaena to her Mother. Alicent held her close, which got a more genuine smile out of me.
She did love her children. That was her biggest strength and biggest weakness.
"I was hoping you could show your old man the changes you've made to the place!" he boomed. "Every Heir makes their own changes, I'm eager to see yours!"
"I would be glad to, Father," I replied. There was no easy way out of playing tour guide to the King. He beamed and then gestured Aegon over. Realising his Father's intention, Aegon's gait was a little wobbly and he went from pale to white. I really, really want to know what Alicent told the kid. And then I really, really want to slap Alicent.
Still, my love for bureaucracy smoothed over any awkwardness I might have felt.
When I'd come to Dragonstone the castle had been neglected in the extreme. Aemon, Baelon and even Viserys had bound themselves to the capital and Dragonstone had suffered for it. There was no real, clear centralised administration. The Castellan looked after the castle proper, the Steward was in charge of finances, there was a Reeve appointed to look after the castle town and deal with the villages elsewhere on Dragonstone, a Bailiff to collect taxes and dues, a Marshal to overlook it's defences and a Master-at-Arms who oversaw the guard and their training.
Each masters of their own spheres of overlapping influence, each fighting for power over the island, each fighting for command of lesser posts and each a seemingly endless font of frustration, idiocy and inefficiency.
Take the charcoal incident. When my experiments had first started, I'd needed charcoal. I'd had to speak to the Castellan to discover we had none and subsequently order it. Then I had to speak to the Steward to release funds. Then I had to speak with the Bailiff to find out why he hadn't handed over that months gold. Then I'd had to organise a guard for the transport because the Bailiff and Master-of-Arms had been having a fight over patrols. Patrols the Marshal was responsible for but had bunked off to go drinking, letting petty crime and tavern brawls get out of hand. Then I'd had to hire men from the town through the Reeve because the Castellan didn't have men to spare and in fact was unsure how many men he even employed because no one wanted to tell him the truth.
You get the idea.
So I'd been forced to switch things up, if only to make life, and my experiments, easier. The Castellan, I explained to Viserys, was now the ultimate power on Dragonstone unless I said otherwise. He oversaw the rest, who'd each had their duties significantly trimmed. The Bailiff now served under the Steward, the Master-of-Arms had been merged with the Marshal and the Reeve now served as my representative outside the castle rather than a power in his own right.
Other, lesser, roles had been assigned under the area they made most sense too. Chamberlain under Castellan, Harbourmaster under Reeve and so on.
Then as punishment for their past idiocy I introduced them to the idea of reports and paperwork. Not that I mentioned it was a punishment to Viserys. No, making them sign forms in triplicate and unleashing archiving on them was all about accountability. So I could double check they weren't stealing from me or using their positions to abuse their power. Watching them grimace and get wrist cramps was just a bonus.
Honest. I would never be so petty.
I'd set up a pseudo-HR department for maximum nastiness and promptly discovered staffing was terrifying. Did you know that until I'd arrived the Dragonstone kitchens hired anyone who turned up with a ladle? No references, just show up early enough with the rest of a pool of transient, unskilled workers and you're in? And this same pool of potential staff members fed every other area of menial work? Because I didn't!
How poison hasn't played a bigger role in Westerosi politics I will never know.
Regardless, my HR department kept track of references, training, who was in charge of who and when to cut certain grab-happy grooms loose for chasing the kitchen maids a little too intently. Everyone gets paid on time, everyone knows what they're doing, everyone is probably not an assassin waiting to poison me and with the basic hygiene training for everyone involved in any kind of cleaning or cooking meant they probably wouldn't accidentally poison me either.
"I'm impressed! I'd never looked into things this deeply before!" Viserys said as I finished my explanation. He had a look on his face that said someone in the capital might be learning the joys of Human Resources very soon. Aegon, clearly, had not been so thrilled by my long lecture of command structure, administration and recruitment because he looked ready to fall asleep on his feet.
Then again he was eight, so what did you expect?
"And you can just throw a feast out of nowhere instead of racing around doing it half by hand now?" he asked, stroking his stupid, stupid moustache.
Who told him that looked good? Was it Alicent? I bet it was Alicent.
"And ensure most complaints are heard without me having to hear them directly," I replied and he brightened up considerably at that. Since it's probably Lyonel that's going to get this dropped on his desk, I should probably draw up a letter of apology now.
"Well isn't that a thing! Hear that, Aegon? Your sister has the right of it! Less complaints and more feasts, I say!" Aegon jerked out of his half-doze and nodded along frantically as if a proper complaints procedure were his hearts most fervent desire. Viserys patted him on the back.
"I have half a mind to give Aegon to that husband of yours. I know he has the Rosby lad but a page won't hurt and it gets Aegon out of the court where they'll stop feeding him so much tripe!"
Aegon froze. Any boredom he had was gone now. Slowly, he turned a trembling head towards me as if I were some kind of t-rex and any speedy movement would cause me to notice his presence and eat him. My own smile became rather strained too. Having Aegon alongside Helaena would be a coup for me, yes, but the boy really was terrified of me. It seemed cruel.
Also Alicent would probably bathe me in wildfire.
"I doubt Alicent would like that. Besides he is doing so well with Criston." Viserys snorted in derision when I mentioned his Lord Commander.
"He could do with getting out of his Mother's skirts," he groused.
"Father, he is eight. Allow him as much time as possible with his Mother, one can never predict if something will happen after all." Viserys' face softened at that.
"Well, you may have a point there," he admitted, likely remembering I was not much younger the Aegon when Aemma had died. Aegon was glancing between us with a small ray of hope blossoming on his face. Viserys dropped a hand to his shoulder and shoved him forward towards me.
"Well, at least take the boy until the feast tonight. You barely have time together as it is, siblings should be closer!"
And then he was off. Seriously, whatever he smoked I wanted. Maybe it was the Hippocras?
Slightly left of productive
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"How is the capital?" I asked, as Viserys disappeared round the corner.
"Good," Aegon squeaked back.
"How's Aemond and Daeron?"
"Good."
"Otto?"
"Good."
"Criston?"
"Good."
"Oh for Seven's sake!" I cried and the boy flinched. I swallowed my annoyance heavily, stamped out the frustration with him and reminded myself he was just a child.
"You know I will not eat you, Aegon. I am fond of you all, I am your big sister," when he said nothing I sighed again. "At least believe that no man or woman is more accursed than a kinslayer. I would not harm you because the Gods themselves will not allow it."
Shockingly, theology was not reassuring to an eight year old so I stashed him in my solar with paper and permission to draw whatever he felt like and an order to tell Viserys he'd spent a splendid afternoon with me. He'd agreed readily and left me to my reports although I wasn't foolish enough to not keep an eye on him between the carefully doctored tales my employees like to tell me of their rivals incompetence. He seemed to be trying to draw a knight of some description… a knight fighting something?
Oh very funny you little shit.
It was a knight fighting a dragon that I was fairly certain was supposed to be me.
Actually, he wasn't half bad at art. Even if he did gouge the veneer off of the desk that had been in this solar since before Aegon the Conqueror's time. After I'd finished signing off on a couple of reports I praised his excellent shading, critiqued his subject matter and sent him packing with orders for him to be cleaned before the feast. I pinned the drawing to the wall. It would do wonders to remind me that for all the trouble he caused me, it was indirect and he was a child at Alicent's mercy.
I decided to do something new for the feast tonight. Instead of my normal Vale style I went for something in a Reach cut. Bare shoulders, rich fabrics… Hopefully it wouldn't be seen as a slight against Alicent but I had to admit the Reach style did sexy very well and I wanted to feel good tonight.
"No, Lady Laena! Lace it this way... you won't lose a hand if you touch her! No! Like this!" A tug brought me back to reality and I sighed. I'd named Laena a lady and all I could say is that I was glad Maris had not yet arrived back from the Vale yet because the Grafton would have crucified the poor girl. Not she wasn't making it completely obvious to anyone she'd rather not be here, so maybe her and Maris could get along splendidly.
Shared circumstances and all that.
Marya was trying her hardest to make up for her but… well. Another clumsy yank illustrated my point nicely and I heard Falena sigh in something dangerously close to despair. Ahead of me the twins were already dressed for the feast, having been excused their duties tonight. Technically speaking, so had Falena but she'd dived in anyway.
Falena was not one to sit back and complain about something if she could dive and get her hands dirty. Metaphorically speaking of course, I do pride myself on cleanliness above and beyond that expected by most Westerosi, which is by itself surprisingly clean. Somehow, we were all ready in time for the feast. Even if Laena looked incredibly uncomfortable in her gown of Velaryon teal and silver.
The feast went well enough. The Greens that had managed to sneak aboard with Viserys' party were making themselves inconspicuous and my usual assortment of nobles were to busy sucking up to the King to be bothering me.
It seemed Viserys had not forgotten about his hate boner for the Greens because there were so little present that one would assume Alicent hadn't even tried to bring back up. Any Green who I could easily identify seemed very keen on avoiding the King's gaze as if they were expecting him to stroke out at the mere sight of them.
Alicent herself barely made any acidic comments. She asked about Helaena's education, she managed a few about pregnancy after asking after news of that but… that was tame. Completely and utterly tame.
Had Viserys put his foot down or something?
It was well into the dancing when the man who called himself my Father laid a hand on my shoulder and bent down to request my presence in the Solar. He was outright swaying as we made our way up. Ser Fell had to place a hand on his back several times to prevent him from toppling over.
When we finally got there, Viserys ordered yet more wine and told Ser Fell to remain outside on guard. He strode inside as if he were still Lord of Dragonstone and sat his growing bulk into the chair behind the desk. He waited until we were served and he had a full goblet in his hand to start talking.
"Well done with the Velaryon business. You saved me from an awkward position there." Oh no, is he trying to have a friendly and fatherly conversation with me? Where has this come from?
"Well, Laena is a friend," I said, well she probably wasn't now but I couldn't exactly point out it was her dragon I wanted. I downed my own wine and grabbed some more. If he was going to try and be friendly, I needed to be drunk.
"Yes. She seems a fine girl. Nearly married her," he told me, voice slurring. Ugh, I'd forgotten about that. Various members of the court after my mother died had been agitating for Viserys to marry Laena to unite the two competing claims for the throne. Honestly, I prefer Alicent. If Viserys had named me heir with Rhaenys about, Meleys would have eaten me years ago. "You seem quite taken with Ser Laenor?"
"He is a good man. I enjoy his company." Please let this end soon. Please let him get bored. I'd even take a screaming match over whatever this is. Did he read a parenting guide and decide to connect with the youth or something? I mean, he has never done anything like this before.
Not even when I was made his cupbearer and I spent my days trailing after him making a 'How not to be ruler' guide based on his actions.
"But you and he are fond of each other?" There was almost a desperate note in his voice and I forced myself to mentally check in to the conversation again to properly study him.
"Are you asking if we love one another?" I asked carefully. He poured more wine.
"Maybe not love… something more than just tolerating one another?" That… is not something a Westerosi would normally ask? Or even care about?
"We are friends. He is a good and kind man," I reassured him and he nodded and took a few more gulps from the goblet. "Is something wrong?"
"No. No, nothing is wrong. Not with me."
We sat in silence for a few more minutes as he finished off the pitcher. I wasn't sure what to say. I was so sure that seeing him again after my flight from King's Landing would fill me with rage and it did but also… a lot of confusion.
"We did not part on the best of terms." That startled a disbelieving laugh from me before I clamped down on it. The look he gave me was tired rather than angry. "I deserve that."
And there goes the confusion! I took a few deep breaths. Last time I'd fucked a salvageable situation by flipping out and trying to hurt him as much as he was hurting me. Joffrey had made it clear I had to stop doing that. That I had to get serious and I couldn't indulge in childish tantrums over hurt feelings anymore.
It was still so hard.
"It was still rude of me. I apologise," I said. He chuckled in response and then called for another pitcher of wine that was delivered so fast they might have been waiting outside with it. I'd made it clear this visit needed to be perfect and it appeared my staff had delivered.
"Your letter said Daemon was back. How badly is he injured?" His tone was odd and hard to parse. Genuine worry, frustration and something else I couldn't place.
"He will be well enough in a few weeks. Then he can return to the Stepstones." Viserys stared at me uncomprehendingly. I elaborated slowly, like I was talking to a child. "Because he is technically breaking his banishment. The one you gave him for breaking my fingers and drawing steel on me."
"I remember what I banished him for. I'll leave it up to you to decide when he's well enough to leave. It seems appropriate," he replied dryly. I took a sip of wine to cover up my surprise. Viserys was normally very forgiving when it came to Daemon. "Don't give me that look. I've not been the best brother to Daemon but he went too far when he hurt you. I should have listened to you but I convinced myself it was just another Black and Green battleground."
"We were both agreeing that he was out of line," I pointed out sourly. Viserys didn't seem to notice my tone as he nodded. More awkward silence, more Viserys drinking wine like it was going out of fashion.
"That business in the Vale. I meant what I said in my letter. It was well done. Aemma would have been proud of you." I swallowed thickly at that. He was playing dirty by bringing her into it. "She used to dote on Jeyne, tried to have me bring the girl to King's Landing. Her Regent refused."
"Yorbert sounds like something of a cunt," I muttered without meaning to. Viserys roared with sudden laughter that made me jump.
"Hah! You never met the man but you'd be right," he chuckled, tossing back more wine. How was he not passed out right now? Surely his bulk couldn't soak up that much.
"Do you know why I married your mother?" he asked suddenly. I shook my head, bemused by the sudden change in topic. "It was right after Uncle Aemon's death."
"Ah. This is about Rhaenys." He nodded, closing his eyes.
"It killed Father to see her turn on him like that. Disappeared off to Driftmark with Jocelyn and the new babe and refused to see him."
"From her point of view, he turned on her first," I pointed out. I'd never actually asked Rhaenys about what had happened. It seemed too much like rubbing salt in the wounds.
"I suppose you could look at it that way. It still hurt him. He didn't want to be heir before her. Jaehaerys made him. Said even if she weren't a woman, a tried and tested warrior was better than a stripling youth of seventeen. You reminded me of him when Aegon was born."
"Did I?" I asked. Viserys snorted. I had made cautious mention of maybe changing his heir, as much as it truly pained me to do so. Viserys had turned me down cold.
"I married your Mother because Father needed the support. The Stormlands were acting up. Rhaenys had Corlys, his fleet and his blood. Jaehaerys wanted to make sure my heirs would have dragon blood on both sides and a Lord Paramount to back their claims. We didn't much like each other in the beginning."
"She was eleven." And that still creeps me out!
"Yes, she was. Eleven and quiet as doormouse. Did her duty though. Daemon mocked me for days." Was that bitterness when you said Daemon's name? I think it was! "I should have been a second son. I could have lived with being a second son. Daemon would have been a worthy first. The only reason I claimed Balerion is because he mocked my lack of dragon. As if he were the expert? He took Uncle Aemon's Caraxes the year before you see and you know when Rhaenys took Meleys. He found it quite funny I lacked a dragon."
That did sound like Uncle Daemon. Arrogant, cruel and convinced he was the Warrior Reborn.
"Then Aemma had Aemon and I could look my brother in the eyes and feel worthy of being born first."
"Aemon?" Viserys blinked at me, looking decidedly more drunk now than he had a few minutes ago. I could make a guess as to his identity but…
"Your brother. Older brother. Did Aemma truly never make a mention of him?" I knew I had an older brother who'd died in the cradle but I'd never heard his name. Mentions of him caused Mother's face to crease in pain, Prince Baelon to look sad and make a small prayer to the Seven and Viserys… well, I'd never heard him mentioned to Viserys. I'd certainly never gotten a name. "Well, we named him after Uncle Aemon. Lived for all of six moons. Balerion died soon after."
Ouch. Losing your firstborn son and your dragon in the same time frame. Ouch. Wait, help, I'm feeling sympathy for Viserys of all people.
"Forgive me Father, I do not se-"
"Laena reminded me of her," he said, cutting me off and meeting my eyes. "Of your mother. A small child being asked to marry a man much older than her. I remember sitting on that throne and realising I couldn't do it. Rhaenys brought her in all dressed up and paraded her in front of everyone. She looked up at me and I.. I couldn't."
"I remember that." I wasn't lying. I do remember. It had been only a few months after Viserys had made me his cupbearer. Laena had been terrified, that much was obvious. Rhaenys had tried to pass it off as nerves. Laena had been twelve and small. Viserys had been twenty eight and already fat. I could understand her terror.
"I was King. So I married someone I loved and I sent her back to Driftmark. And like a coward I sold you to the Velaryons to do my duty!" He stood suddenly and swayed on unsteady feet. His violet eyes peered down at me and I realised he was close to crying. He drew me to my feet and pulled me into his arms before taking a great shuddering breath. I found his hug to be very… tight. My ribs protested and I struggled to stay steady as he swayed back and forth, his strength forcing me to follow him.
"I hurt you. You do not know how sorry I am. Come back to court with me. Bring Ser Laenor, hell bring your entire court but come back. I should not have sent you away. I know that now." He let me loose from the bone-crushing pressure and clapped me on the shoulders. He was a messy crier, I noted idly, despite my surprise. His face was a blotchy red and tears had drenched his now almost invisible moustache. He moved his hands to cradle my face. "Come home. Come help me rule."
Well, that's one way of getting un-banished?
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I felt ill after Viserys' little pity party in my solar but I wasn't going to turn down a chance to be free from Dragonstone so I agreed. His joy made my stomach turn and his hug nearly broke my ribs. He eventually fell asleep on the couch in the Solar which was probably for the best, the last thing I needed was for him to break his neck falling down the stairs and kick off the Dance early. I left him with Ser Fell and went to find Laenor.
Who was very much unavailable! Very, very unavailable. As was Joffrey.
At least they'd made up. Silver linings and all that.
I ordered a pitcher before taking refuge in my rooms, and following Viserys' earlier example of solving his problems with alcohol, tried to banish the lonely ache that had sprung up in my gut at the sight of the two men. I'd polished off half of it before Laena arrived. Not for the first time I was forced to wonder if one of the two had somehow borrowed Tyrion's time travelling powers and they'd started off as twins. Either that or Rhaenys had figured out how to clone people.
"You left the feast," she pointed out as she sat down and stole my goblet, finishing it herself. "And you left me alone with the twins,"
"The King demanded my attention," I told her. She refilled the goblet and snorted before taking a long drink.
"Yes, and the twins wanted mine. They poured honey in my wine because I was being to 'sour'. What did Viserys want anyway?" she asked with the same kind of derision I reserved for mentions of the man who'd sired me.
"We spoke about you." That got her to put the goblet down. I stole it back as she raised an eyebrow.
"Me?" A hand fell to her stomach and I shook my head. "You did not-"
"About how you nearly became his wife," I told her. She gave me a horrified, incredulous look and then shuddered dramatically. I couldn't help it, I laughed. We may disagree on my Uncle but at least we agreed on the matter of Viserys. "I was thinking how it was a good thing you didn't marry him,"
"Really? I'd hardly make as much trouble as Alicent. We would have been close," she said, almost wistfully. My smile flickered at the reminder of the friendship that'd been destroyed by Daemon, did she miss it too? Okay, play it cool, we're seducing her from Daemon. A moment of genuine bonding is definitely a good thing.
"I was more thinking that if he'd made me heir over your children Rhaenys would have fed me to Meleys." That startled a laugh out of her and she took the cup back as I finished it. We traded stories back and forth for a while, her of her travels and mine of old court scandals. Laena was easy to talk to when she wasn't being a brat and I was forced to admit I missed this closeness between us. I was half way through telling a particularly amusing story regarding Laenor during our bedding ceremony when she interrupted me, cheeks flushed red with wine.
"I… Rhaenyra…" I peered at her through the alcohol induced haze. She seemed to be very much struggling with her next sentence. "I do not like men much. I was happy when your Father refused the marriage. Daemon is the first man I've ever… What I'm trying to say is… When we first…"
Oh gods, please don't give me an in-depth history on yourself and Daemon. I was way too drunk for this. I moved to the window and stuck my head out into the breeze for a while, letting the sea air cool my wine heated cheeks. Her hand touched my back a moment later.
"Sorry. I know it pains you to speak of him. Come, enjoy some more wine with me." So I did.
I awoke still in my dress with Laena playing the big spoon, her arm flung over my stomach and her gentle snores the only noise in my chambers. It…did not say good things about my psyche that I laid there for a long time just enjoying the feel of someone else pressed close to me. Even when Laenor slept in my rooms he was stingy with physical affection. When the temptation to curl closer to her got too much I carefully extracted myself from the bed and snuck out, leaving her to rest. She looked like she needed it.
After the usual trials and tribulations of waking up with a hangover were done with and I had bathed and doubled checked all of my ladies were safe and not in the stables lost to drunken stupors -Thank you for that awkward morning, Alys-, I took up refuge in my offices to lay in to yet more of my back log and catch up with my daily correspondence. Normally at this time I'd be out on the range with Helaena, or more accurately, wrangling Helaena into her lessons with Gerardys instead of spending all day with her bow. Since Alicent was here, she could deal with the constant danger of getting shot by a stubborn six-year old.
Speaking of which, I would probably have to check what Viserys intended for Helaena when we returned to King's Landing. Alicent would probably want to retake custody of her daughter after close to six months of having her away. I wrote up a reminder to ask him before we set off.
A letter from Jeyne, advising that the Falcons were recruiting at a much greater rate than Lord Denys had anticipated, was a nice start to my day. We were still far off any kind of solid solution to the hill clans but every bit of land we retook was a bit of land Jeyne could use to strengthen the Vale and soon, when they could reliably defend a wider area, we could begin getting a return on those Velaryon investments. I always felt a little guilty using Laenor's gold to bankroll my projects but… well, Dragonstone may make more these days but it didn't make nearly enough.
Still the good news in the Vale meant it was time to broach an awkward topic with my beloved cousin.
It was with some trepidation that I put the quill to paper. I'd been putting off the discussion but I could no longer, especially not now I could move about Westeros freely once more. I was going to have to try and get her to marry and produce at least one child. The succession of the Vale had been a shit show in the canon time line and I did not want to take the risk of it exploding in my face at an annoying and inconvenient time. Plus, and I was happy I still felt guilty at this, the marriage of the Lady of the Vale would potentially secure another ally to my side.
She was my blood, after all.
An invitation to attend the wedding of Forrest Frey and Sabitha Vypren. Interesting but not feasible. Forrest wasn't a bad sort for all that he was insanely optimistic and for some reason the name Sabitha Vypren was tickling at me, familiar. I sent word to prepare an acceptable gift and to send my apologies and congratulations.
The most interesting letter proved to be from Wisdom Jerrett who was very excited about something they'd managed to discover from ongoing research efforts that, in his own words, 'was completely unmentioned by the Book'. I admit that somewhat baffled me and I had suppress the urge to bolt over and demand what it was.
Instead I calmly penned a response that I would be arriving for a visit to the campus tomorrow to investigate this new discovery and to hear an update on their research. Then because I had not forgotten, I penned a reminder to Joffrey to set up a meeting so I could brief him on my knowledge of the canon Dance of Dragons and to inform him my unofficial banishment was at an end.
Late morning gave way to early afternoon and I received a short reply from Joffrey told me he was very eager to learn the truth because he'd suggested we meet as soon as possible as King's Landing could be dangerous to explore this information in and a confirmation that Wisdom Jerrett would be happy to give us a tour.
As it was, Viserys only planned to stay for a few more days. A fact he announced half way through dinner that day alongside his invitation for me to rejoin him at court 'where I belonged'.
That got some mixed reactions to say the least. Alicent managed to keep an extremely strained smile in place by, what I suspect, was sheer ingrained court habit. Aegon looked the weirdest cross between physically ill and cautiously excited, Helaena looked absolutely thrilled and Aemond was glaring at his plate and then his Father in rapid succession. The few Greens were doing their best to seem happy that the King was inviting his beloved daughter back to the capital whilst my court and Black lords actually let out a few cheers.
The next fright I had was Laenor bursting into my rooms at first light the next day and all but bouncing on my bed like a child on Christmas morning before bothering me about the tour we were going on. I was not a morning person. I may have said something quite rude in response. He dragged me out anyway and forced a cup of juice into my hand.
"Do you think you might know what it is?" he asked before taking a sip from his own cup. The maids he'd brought with him laid out some fruit for us before bowing and leaving us alone.
"I have no clue. I don't even know who is supposed to have discovered this brand new thing," I replied and stole his slices of pear in recompense for the early morning wake up call. He pouted before giving me a sly smirk.
"I heard my sister spent the night in your rooms." I'm pretty sure that pear is in my lung now. He was almost cackling when I finally managed to recover from my coughing and spluttering.
"Please tell me that isn't a new rumour!" I begged before gulping some juice down. He began laughing even harder but shook his head through his mirth. I sighed in relief. The last thing I needed was accusations of infidelity with both Joffrey AND his wife. That'd be just Alicent's style, paint me as someone so depraved I couldn't even stick to one gender of lovers... and the fact she would be on the right path is galling as well. A pit of nerves opened up in my stomach as his laughter died into chuckles.
"Well I wouldn't have to monopolise your sister if someone weren't completely allergic to physical intimacy." I bit out and then realised what I said as his eyes went wide. "Wait! No! I meant cuddling! Not the other thing!"
"Well… you never said? Did you want me too?" he asked. Dear Seven, kill me now. I think my face had gone neon by the time he leant forward and patted me reassuringly on the hand.
"Don't worry. Laena only told Joffrey because she woke up with one of your bracelets pressed into her side and ended up with a wicked looking bruise." Oh. I see. I wondered where that went.
"Please don't tell me Joff-" I started but Laenor's giggling interrupted me again.
"I hate you sometimes," I mumbled which sent Laenor off laughing again.
"But he did say good work! Laena is very much close to seeing sense," he told me in a low tone. I blinked in surprise at that. I hadn't thought it had been all that helpful but if Joffrey said otherwise…
The twins arrived sometime later to help me dress and I dispatched Laenor and his exhausting enthusiasm to get Joffrey and Laena. The former because I was going to tell him the future on the way back and the latter because I wanted to try and impress her with 'The Book'.
We took the horses there. Laenor kept up an endless chatter the entire way, waxing lyrical about all the different ways 'The Book' would help Westeros advance and how they would help secure our houses for generations. Joffrey was politely interested. He already knew, of course, and had likely already put much more thought into what the technology I had revealed could do for our cause. Still, I didn't miss the soft smile on his face as he watched Laenor come alive in a way only High Tide or Spicetown could get him.
Laena was much less respectful of 'The Book'.
"I don't see why we need this to secure our future. We have dragons!" she exclaimed as we rode through the front gates to the set of converted warehouses that now formed High Wisdom Jerrett's domain.
"Jaehaerys understood we need more than that. We conquered the Andals, no offence Joffrey, and that the only reason we've lasted so long is the dragons. We need other avenues of loyalty beyond 'obey me or be eaten' as Maegor found out."
She still looked troubled as Jerrett presented himself to us with a respectful bow, eyes bright with excitement. I introduced Joffrey and Laena to him and he managed to contain himself to make a good introduction, even though I'd bet the treasury of Dragonstone Joffrey already knew who he was on sight.
Eventually were were shown into a room with a wooden bowl containing purple crystals. A very nervous looking apprentice Harald stood by, eyes flicking between the bowl and us. I examined it, something niggling at the back of my mind.
"Harald here was assigned to the experimental seaweed extraction process and fouled the damn thing up!" Suddenly, the reason Harald looked so nervous was apparent. "But then we noticed this! Interesting, yes? We were hoping to obtain some more funding to study it."
Oh bloody hell. Seaweed. Kelp.
I was an idiot.
Young Harald had just discovered Iodine.
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At the look on my face as I gazed at the crystals, Laenor readily agreed to fund the investigation into it's properties. I congratulated Harald on his potentially amazing discovery and tried my best to ignore the confused look on Laena's face and Joffrey's open curiosity. Then we proceeded to Jerrett's new office, considerably more cramped than the old one, and were seated. He bustled off to arrange refreshments, leaving us alone.
"Well?" asked Laenor, eyes bright in excitement. I briefly had the urge to slap him.
"Iodine. Antisceptic and a supplement," I replied. Laena stared between the three of us like I'd grown a second head spontaneously and no one else seemed to have noticed.
"Wait?… You wrote th-"
"Shhhhh." Joffrey's hand came to rest over her mouth. "Not when Jerrett is around."
Her eyes went wide as she stared at me before nodding seriously. I tried not to let the annoyance show on my face that she knew but it was inevitable I suppose. I would have to trust Joffrey that she would not immediately run off and inform Daemon even if it made my teeth itch. Joffrey removed his hand and moment later Jerrett returned with two apprentices and drinks for us all.
"Sorry for the delay! We do not quite have the service our cousin's in King's Landing have yet!" Oh no, he absolutely going to cause trouble with the 'cousins' in King's Landing. I shot a quick glance at Joffrey who caught my gaze and nodded, barely a twitch of his head, to let me know he understood my worries completely. Laenor on the other hand had placed his chin on his folded hands and nodded eagerly, waiting for Jerrett to begin.
"I will start off with the good news, shall I?" When no one spoke their objections, he continued. "Firstly the agricultural work we have undertaken. Although we are not ready for harvest our farms are looking extremely promising. We are predicting much above the initial estimate of double the average yield!"
He paused for effect. Laenor looked like someone had just told him he'd won an all expenses paid trip to Yi-ti, Joffrey was leaning forward with an intense expression on his face and even Laena was looking interested now. As for myself, I could barely keep the smile off of my face. More crops, better ways of harvesting them and more food in total would see my reign a golden age of Westeros.
"Of course, we shouldn't get to excited until we've successfully reproduced this feat a few times. The farmers of Westeros will not be convinced by one harvest, we must prove it is not a stroke of luck or some sort of trick!"
"Have you any luck in cross-breeding plants and animals?" I asked.
"We've set up some testing but I fear that it will be even longer before we see results from such things," he replied. I nodded. Even intense selective breeding would take generations of control to show results. Still, as long as it was in the works I might see some results within my time. "Moving on to the press. We have decided on the most effective prototype using a screw press as the base. Wisdom Gawen reports that early results are promising but he still wishes to obtain a better metal for the type."
"We will need to acquire literature we want to print in order to prove the usefulness of the press," Joffrey said, folding his hands beneath his chin. Laena's eyes lit up at the thought.
"Oh! We could produce some of the dragon manuals in Dragonstone. Mother often complained that she was never allowed to take them out of the castle." Whilst that was a good thought, I'd known what the first thing we needed to print was since I'd placed the details of the press to paper. Although, I really really should print the dragon stuff as soon as possible. Those ancient and crumbling books were likely victims of Baelor in the original time line and were worth more than their weight in gold when it came to actually having a dragon.
They covered topics from physiology, training, diet, riding techniques… Literally priceless but, alas, not great candidates for uniting Westeros behind my press and against the Maesters who would surely object to it.
"The Seven-pointed Star," I told them firmly. My show of piety would mean the Faith would have to approve, after all, who dislikes the idea of their holy book being disseminated on a scale unseen by even the Andal invasion? It may surprise you to know I was actually quite fond of the Seven-pointed Star. It wasn't bad as holy books go. Comprised of seven books, go figure, each named for the aspects of the Seven-who-are-one.
Mother, Maiden, Crone, Smith, Father, Warrior and Stranger. Each book dealing with the kind of major life events the average smallfolk and the high and mighty noble could find common ground on. Birth, coming of age, becoming older, creation myths which weirdly fell under the Smith, law, war and death. Honestly, if I wanted proof that the worship of the Seven was complete bullcrap, all I needed to do was point at the Seven-pointed Star.
Because that book was created to be reassuring, non-offensive and as relatable as possible to anyone, be they King or farmhand.
"An excellent suggestion, Your Grace. I will inform Gawen of your decision," Jerrett said proudly. Joffrey was nodding along proudly but Laenor and Laena just looked baffled at the decision. "On to less pleasing news?"
I nodded and grit my teeth.
"We have identified the type of seaweed used to create clear glass but it's quite clear that we do not have nearly enough. Wisdom Beron has been instructed to create a way to farm it reliably but in the meantime our experiments within the Glassworks are much reduced."
"Forward the types of seaweed you require to the Maester at Driftmark, I will instruct him to arrange for the collection of as much as possible in the waters surrounding the island," Laenor ordered. I tried not to smile. Laenor wanted the Glassworks for Driftmark when it was perfected. If I could secure the seaweed farms for Dragonstone then it would ensure at least some income and another tie between the islands.
If I were being honest, I could understand why the Glassworks should be at Driftmark beyond Laenor's desire to buoy his house once more. Dragonstone may have docks but it had no where near the infrastructure to deal with the demand for glass that Westeros would inevitably need. Spicetown was an ever expanding port town and could easily meet the needs of industry on a grand scale. Hell, even Hull could at a pinch but that was much closer to a shipwright's abode these days. Ship creation and repair, less trading.
"As for the medicinal areas of study, Maester Gerardys would be the best to receive an update from." The disapproval in his voice was evident. The Maester of Dragonstone did not get along with the new Wisdoms and Jerrett had made it clear that the feeling was very much mutual.
We did not tarry long after. Instead we rode to a cove not far from the town and settled down to watch the waves. Laena was sent away with a request to let those at Dragonstone know I was delayed. Joffrey and Laenor cuddled as I marshalled the courage it would take to tell Joffrey about everything. I nearly leapt out of my skin when Laenor placed his hand on mine and gave me a small smile.
"You need not do this alone." I was strangely touched by that. Less touched when he promptly scooted back into Joffrey's arms but the thought was there.
I finally managed to start, stammering the first part of my explanation regarding how I'd come to know these things, but I managed. Again I spoke of the Dance and it's aftermath, how each King afterwards had eroded Targaryen power and finally our families fall from power at the hands of half of Westeros united against them. Afterwards Joffrey was silent, much in the same manner Laenor had been.
"Hmmmm," he finally said after several agonising minutes. "So, it is confirmed Alicent will act and will do so with violence,"
"The War of Quills only occurred because neither side had overwhelming odds. If it looks like we'll win a Great Council outright she'll skip words and go for swords." I told him.
"Alicent puts too much stock in her Reachman," snorted Joffrey with all the arrogance of a Stormlander. "Still, it makes her courting of Lord Paramounts all the more worrying. Lords will vote freely in Council's because it is anonymous, not following their lieges in battle and war is another thing entirely."
We waited again as he tilted his head back and forth, occasionally squinting as something occurred to him.
"So I was truly destined to die at Criston Cole's hands?" I nodded and he ran an agitated hand through his short hair. Laenor reached forward and took his hand. "Laena will not survive a second birth and Laenor must always have a guard we trust, Lady Rhaenys must not try and fight two opponents at once, although the Seven knows how we would stop her, and we must up the security at the dragon pit…"
He paused and then looked frustrated.
"And I can write none of this down! How do you cope?" he asked. I shrugged. In truth, I often forgot little details here and there only to remember them years later for basically no reason and promptly feel like an idiot for ever forgetting them in the first place.
"I think what we should take from this, more immediately, is that Daemon is a threat. He has no compunctions killing off those with rival claims be they adult or child. Blood and Cheese should demonstrate that!" I said, gesturing wildly. I knew Joffrey was fighting his part in the war for Laena but this would hopefully inspire him further.
"Now I must ask a difficult question. You said that this was a history book of sorts? How sensationalised is the tale?" I very much doubted it differed too greatly from what had happened as that would defeat the point of the book, something which I allowed them both to read on my face. Joffrey merely shrugged "But we can not be sure it was Daemon who hired Qarl Correy. It could have been any with a vested interest in forcing Rhaenyra to remarry. The Strongs, Alicent…"
"I was murdered months after Laena's death and he was in Rhaenyra's bed before the mourning period was even over!" cried Laenor.
"Alicent?" I found myself saying at the same time. Why would Alicent kill Laenor?
"But we must remember this tale was told after the fact from many different sources," Joffrey replied, stubbornly, ignoring us both. "Including your Father's fool, Mushroom."
"He's not a complete idiot. He just added certain explicit details to everything. Everything." I told them with a dramatic shudder. "I dread to think what he'll say about us."
"Oh you will assuredly be playing the voyeur in his mind once more." I went red, much to Laenor's glee.
"Perhaps I should turn some spies on him if he intends to speak such calumnies," mused Joffrey, rubbing his chin thoughtfully and ignoring my immense discomfort. "I may discover how Alicent so easily spreads her lies to the court. He would be the perfect vec-"
Laenor flicked sand at him and he recoiled, blinking in confusion at the suddenly impish grin on his lovers face.
"Must you make everything about politics?" he asked. "Rhaenyra knows the worst that can happen so we can make it better! She knows these magical things that will change everything! And you want to talk poli-"
A handful of sand hit him directly in the face mid-word, thrown by a suddenly intense Joffrey. I scrambled out the way as Laenor responded in kind. Their sand fight lasted for an impressive amount of time given that sand is terribly unpleasant to have in any orifice on your body and I was sure they'd eaten and snorted enough to make a decorative glass vase from.
Dragonstone was alive with activity as ever, more so with the King's visit, when we returned. Which made Alton Rosby's nervous demeanour stand out considerably when I finally dragged my two sand covered idiots through the gates.
"Your Grace, Ser Laenor, Ser Joffrey?" he said, voice as nervous as his body language. "A message from Driftmark. There has been an… incident?"
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It seemed Daemon had gotten very drunk, stood up in the centre of Corlys' feast in his honour and declared Laena's unannounced babe to be his own. Apparently, Corlys had only narrowly averted disaster by having Rhaenys confined to her rooms. A feat, he added in his letter, that had taken four men and she'd still broken Malentine's leg in the process.
Great.
I begged my leave from Viserys and promised him I would return to court once I'd dealt with Daemon. He was leery of letting me go but he understood that Rhaenys and Daemon left alone with such an insult being levied would end in tears and dragon fire sooner rather than later. Whilst the others bathed I arranged for my ladies and retinue follow Viserys to King's Landing.
Then they met me with damp hair and fresh clothes. My heart dropped as I noted that 'they' included Laena. When she saw my look she folded her arms and frowned, mouth set in determination.
"I'm going with you," she said before I could open my mouth. I wanted to slap her. Did she not see the damage Daemon was doing to her reputation as well as Joffrey's!?
"No." I could not trust her to back Joffrey up. If she confirmed Daemon's lies… Damn it, Joffrey didn't deserve this.
"How are you going to stop me?" she asked, cocky grin on her face and tone mocking. It took Laenor catching me about the shoulders to prevent the incoming slap she richly deserved. Syrax snapped and snarled in Vhagar's direction and Laena took a step back, grin falling from her face.
"Rhaenyra is worried you will side with Daemon. The harm to both our reputations would be incalculable." As usual, Joffrey was playing mediator. Laena frowned, as if that hadn't occurred to her. Wait, if she did confirm it we can legally hit her with a stick of wood! Confirm it!
"I… I did not think of that," she admitted, voice small.
"I believe you should come. See if you can not convince Daemon to be reasonable," Joffrey said, meeting my eyes in a silent glare. Surely she wasn't that close to seeing reason? I gave my assent and hoped he knew what he was doing. Laena shot me a small smile and mounted Vhagar, swiftly urging her into the air. I scrambled to follow on Syrax. Seasmoke launched himself into the air behind us carrying Joffrey and Laenor.
"You know, the Valryians used to practice formation flying! They used to put on aerial displays!" bellowed Laenor, barely audible over the wind and clearly trying to lighten the atmosphere. I had actually known that. Rhaenys had told me when I was first starting to ride Syrax and the young dragon demonstrated an ability at aerial acrobatics. A sudden need to get Laena back took over me so I urged Syrax onward, overtaking the siblings.
I hadn't practised a lot of manoeuvres with her but who could ever resist saying they'd done a barrel roll on a Dragon?
I circled round so that I was facing Vhagar and Seasmoke and urged Syrax to pick up some speed. Underneath me I could feel her go taut with excitement and anticipation. That the only thing that really roused my lazy dragon from her naps was the idea of aerial acrobatics it was amusing to note. We rushed towards them and I just caught sight of Laena frantically trying to pull Vhagar out of my path before Syrax darted up. She snapped her wings inward and we rolled, the moment of vertigo as I looked up and saw the sea was brief as we ended the roll behind the two Velaryon dragons.
Syrax let out a bellow of approval as we went into a wide turn and began catching up again. I fell back in beside Vhagar and ignored the rude gesture Laena shot my way. From the way Laenor was sitting in his saddle and the way Joffrey was clutching at him, I would say that Laenor found the stunt hilarious.
Serves her right anyway. She could do with a bit of worry in that empty head of hers.
My trick was the only bit of levity we got before we arrived at Driftmark, all becoming more and more tense as the dragons touched down and we dismounted. I worried at my lip as we made our way into High Tide proper. I was sure it was a mistake to bring Laena but she would not be deterred and she did have the biggest dragon. Seasmoke and Syrax against Vhagar would be a no contest kind of fight if we weren't aiming to kill.
Daemon was in the feasting hall. Drunk, I noted with a flicker of fear and shame. Around him he'd gathered a multitude of young squires and very minor Velaryons. Judging from the laughter, we'd caught him gathering his reinforcements. Laena almost tripped over her own feet when she saw him and Joffrey leant over and whispered something in her ear. She turned a wide eyed gaze on him and then smiled a small and fragile smile.
Unfortunately, that was the moment Daemon and his cronies spotted us.
"Ah! So you've returned to answer for trying to steal my child! My wife!" he bellowed. The hall was set murmuring and I felt the need summon Syrax and wipe his smug smile from his face. I could guess at his game. He wanted, no he needed, Joffrey to challenge him to duel. A duel Joffrey could not win. A duel Joffrey would instigate because Joffrey was still the Knight of Kisses for all I liked to think of him as the calm and controlled spymaster he'd forged himself into.
"Why Prince Daemon, I had no clue Joffrey had lain with Rhea Royce as well!" Laenor's weak jape got a few of the crowd chuckling and I didn't bother to hide my smile. Daemon's crowd wasn't as in his sway as he thought. Let's see how you do now, Uncle, when all is not in your favour.
Laena stepped forward and peered at him. I wanted to curse at the look on her face, she was all but confirming the babes paternity to every idiot here! Daemon seemed to realise his slip up though and he swept through the crowd and halted before her, smiling gently.
"Fear not, dear heart, I will have you from this marriage soon enough. Then we shall petition Viserys together," his smile was actually tender. I hated him, in that moment. Pure crystallised hate. Laena pulled her eyes away from Daemon and examined us, turning pale when she saw the look on my face.
"Daemon, stop this. We can be together just… Joffrey is a good man. He just wants to help," she whispered in a low voice. Daemon's jaw clenched as he glared up at the man in question. Laena took a step back and looped her arm through Joffrey's and shot me a pleading look. I forced myself to breath. It was the best I could ask for. An almost rejection of his overtures and stepping back into Joffrey's arms, the optics were not great for Daemon.
A fact he'd realised as his face screwed up in confusion. He followed Laena's look and our eyes met. I swallowed the sudden nerves and focused on trying to massage the pain from my fingers.
"You are a hateful creature," he finally spat, face screwed up in a riot of emotions I could not parse. I saw Laena flinch in Joffrey's arms and swallowed back my angry retort. War of Influence, Vhagar, Joffrey, Laena… don't screw this up!
"Good afternoon to you too, Uncle," I said with a calm I was most certainly not feeling.
"Good? You took her from me out of spite! Or is it jealousy?"
"Fraternal duty," said Laenor, meeting the Prince's angry eyes with his own cool gaze. "I would be a poor brother if I sold her to the man who would draw steel on his own niece. A man who would claim her babe as his own to hurt her,"
"I love her. She was to be mine!" he shouted back. I flinched closer to Laenor and cursed myself for it.
"She is nobodies but her own," said Joffrey, drawing Daemon's ire back to himself. My Uncle sneered in hatred before extending his arm to Laena who was watching him with wide eyes and clutching Joffrey's arm with surprising strength. When she shook her head at the unspoken invitation he went red with rage.
"She bares my babe! Are you such a cockless wonder that you'd claim another man's child for your own?" he asked. Joffrey's hands played at where he would have worn a sword and then clenched. "Tell me, did Criston Cole take your manhood as well as your leg? Or do you still have that to drive in-"
"Enough!" bellowed Laenor, frightening us all. "You stand in my Father's halls, Daemon! A guest! You will not insult my goodbrother so."
He gave Laena one last desperate look and then rounded on me again.
"Tell me, niece, do these boy lovers please you so? Do they perform for you? Did you seek to marry my Laena to the cripple so you could secure him the teal and silver your husband desires? At least I can be sure it's not because you want to bed her yourself, I have seen your lustful eyes on me, niece!"
"Stop it! Stop it! Why are you being so cruel?" sobbed Laena, sagging onto Joffrey and causing him to stumble slightly.
Blazing hot anger coursed through my veins and if it hadn't been for Laenor's hold around on me I would have surged forward and given my all for scratching his face off. As it was I managed one step before Laenor drew me back, arm coming round to pin my free hand to my side. Probably to prevent me launching a dagger at him, I realised through the fog of hate.
"Daemon, enough!" came Corlys' bark and I realised he'd joined us, two guardsmen at his back and several more sending the crowd from the room. "This is unbecoming of one of your station!"
Daemon all but snarled at the man.
"Unbecoming? I am a King! My brother is your liege!" He turned to look at us all before his sneer fell back into place. "I have tarried here to long. I will petition Viserys directly!"
"He will not see you. He has given me control over your banishment," I told him, proud of my steady voice, as he stalked away. He froze at the threshold of the hall and spun around, face a mask of disbelief.
"No, no, he will see me! You are lying!"
"She is not, old friend. King Viserys sent the command on a raven today. I had hoped to speak to Rhaenyra in private before she made her decision." Corlys' voice was gentle as Daemon sank back against the great oak doors, face as pale as snow.
"You promised me her hand. She loves me, Corlys, and I love her. You promised me!" The desperation in his pleas saw my urge to vomit returning. Beside me Laenor was stiff, hands almost painfully tight around my arm. Corlys stepped forward and joined him by the door.
"I promised you support to petition the King. I promised you that if you obtained the annulment, you would have her hand." His gentle tone became much harder. "You forced the issue by bedding her, getting her with child. You drove her away when you started with your threats and bravado. Can anyone blame her for her fear? When she runs from a man that threatened to kill everyone between himself and the throne if that is what it took to marry her."
Laenor's hands tightened again at that and I hissed, partly due to the pain but also due to the fact that this was the first I had heard of the threat. From the look on Laenor's face, the threat was not new to him though. I risked a glance at Laena and noted it was me she was watching, not Daemon, her eyes round with fear.
Was she afraid of me or him?
Why would she be afraid of me?
Daemon slumped even further, face focused on the ground between his shoes. He drew in a shuddering breath after a while and tilted his face up to face the man he'd conquered a Kingdom with.
"I would make a better goodson than… him. Help me," he pleaded.
"You have not shown yourself to be an exceptional husband so far. Lady Rhea could attest to that," I observed. Corlys shot me an annoyed look as Daemon surged to his feet again, anger returning but not to the degree it had before.
"You will leave that Bronze Bitch out of it! She is just as hateful as you!" he hissed and I wanted to slap him again for the nickname he'd given her. She did not deserve Daemon. She was prickly, proud and blunt but she was also kind and caring. I knew, although I would never say so aloud, that she had wished for a babe for the longest time. She made do with each child her sisters and their families bought into the world but I know she wanted one of her own.
This fuck had denied her that.
"Why would I leave her out of it? You claim to be a better husband than Joffrey but at least he's bedded his wife," I replied with some heat, totally aware that I was being something of a hypocrite there. Joffrey's eyebrows shooting up told me I wasn't the only one aware.
"I can give her something no man ever could!?" he snarled.
"The life of an exile? Or is it the shame of a bastard? The constant danger of a warzone to raise a babe in?" asked Joffrey. Laena was clutching at him, white as sheet. I'd never seen her so terrified. "I know what you think you can offer her Daemon. It doesn't make you special. You aren't destined lovers because she wants you."
Corlys, Laenor and two guards were forced to physically restrain Daemon as he threw himself forward, looking very much like he'd just gone mad and decided ending Joffrey's life was an excellent trade for his own.
"Enough Daemon, calm down now! Violence is not the answer!" Evidently Daemon did not agree because a few moments later his fist collided with Laenor's face.
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It took four guards to haul him off in chains, presumably to a cell. Corlys was furious beyond words but that was nothing compared to Rhaenys. If Corlys ever got into her bed again he'd be the smoothest motherfucker to ever exist. Joffrey, Laena and I sat outside his solar listening as the Queen Who Never Was picked apart his entire life, throwing insults that had us all blushing and Laena eyeing a nearby window.
Ouch, Rhaenys did not hold back.
Laenor had trooped back from the Maester's tower to inform us that his nose was broken but that it should heal fairly well. Joffrey mothered him excessively and I learnt that the Knight of Kisses had apparently spent a fair bit of his youth getting into bar fights if the advice he gave Laenor for dodging punches was any indication. Finally, Rhaenys ended her tirade, sounding hoarse and furious still.
And then Corlys called Joffrey and I in.
"Well, your plan has ended in a fine mess," I told him, not bothering to sit down. Corlys clenched his jaw.
"You do not need to inform me of such. How is Laenor?" he asked.
"Broken nose. He'll be fine," replied Joffrey, taking a seat opposite Corlys. "But that's not want you want to talk about is it? You want a way out."
Corlys said nothing but I could tell he was angry. And humiliated. This was Tywin Lannister-lite who'd just had his entire plan blow in his face. He'd lost the esteem of his wife, son and daughter. He was in danger of losing every shred of political power he held.
If I poked his pride now, I'd drive him away forever. If I showed pity, he would resent me. If I ignored him outright, he'd screw me over at the worst time possible out of spite.
Curse these Westerosi Lords and their prickly prides.
"I have something of an idea, if Your Grace and My Lord will humour me?" The best thing I've ever done is hire Joffery was all I could think as he outlined his plan.
My Uncle looked very much the worse for wear. Some of those guards had clearly not held back, and laying hands on the Lord's son wasn't a good recipe for a peaceful imprisonment normally. His white doublet was stained with blood from a clearly broken nose, his wrists were raw from the shackles he wore and his eye was already beginning to swell shut. Rhaenys sat by him, fingers drumming on her thighs and just daring him to start something with her angry glare.
Daemon, for his part, ignored us all, arranging himself into the closest thing to a lounge he could manage.
I wanted to see him suffer.
"This has gone along far enough," Corlys said, after we were all seated. I swallowed down my annoyance that he would take that stance when he had started it. This was Joffrey's plan now and he needed Daemon to see Colys as an ally still. Daemon was definitely arrogant enough to assume breaking Laenor's nose would not have affected his relationship with the man.
"I must apologise." Daemon's voice smoothly interjected. "I was drunk and acted in a manner far below my station."
We all tensed as he rose from his chair and dropped onto one knee before Laena, even if he was hardly going to be seducing her half-beaten and bound.
"Forgive me, dear heart, I love you so much it is all-consuming. I will regret scaring you like that, losing my temper like, that until my dying day. You are the light of my life, command me and I am yours," he murmured.
He closed his fingers around hers with an impossible gentleness and it was real, actual love I saw on his face. Laenor's hand found mine as I swallowed around the sudden urge to scream. At least Laena seemed as discomforted by it as everyone else in the room, giving at least a token attempt to pull her hands back. He'd scared her, I realised. Suddenly all those warning do not seem so far fetched, do they, Laena?
"Daemon. That was cruel. You were cruel." She seemed to struggle with words for a moment. "You hurt Laenor. And you… You swore you'd never-"
She cut herself off as she seemed to realise the rest of us were still present.
"Forgive me, forgive me, I should not have taunted you so. I should not have struck your brother so." Wait, what? Taunted? I'm missing something here. I'm sure of it. My eyes flickered to Joffrey who was as stoic as ever. He had to know what they were speaking about. I had to trust he knew what he was doing. Daemon dropped small kisses across her hands as she stopped trying to free herself and simply let her fingers go limp in his grasp. His kisses became desperate and I burned in anger.
"Daemon," said Rhaenys, warning in her voice. "Have some tact. She is a married woman."
He stood and turned to Rhaenys, who rose to face him in turn. Corlys cleared his throat as if it were no great problem but I could see he was tense. Daemon was shackled and already injured but Rhaenys' power was Meleys not hand to hand combat.
"I will not abandon my love," Daemon said, backing off from his enraged cousin and turning his eyes on Corlys. "I am the only man for her. Not this excuse..."
A warning glance from Corlys cut him off.
"Why can we not all ally and petition Viserys?" asked Daemon, mouth set into an unhappy curl and a whine in his tone. "She loves me. Only me."
"Because it is no longer the matter of my daughter marrying, it's become part of wider political tensions," Corlys said, repeating Joffrey's earlier explanation. "To say Alicent dislikes you is like saying water is wet. Her lords still infest the court, for all that they have fallen out of favour, and their only true opposition are Jeyne Arryn's Vale Lords. So, Viserys can not grant the annulment and offend both of those parties."
"My Brother loves me. He will do so if it means my happiness," Daemon said stubbornly. I remembered the bitterness that Viserys had let slip during our drunken heart to heart and wasn't so sure. You mocked him for his entire childhood but are perfectly willing to use him when it suits you.
Well, Uncle, he has washed his hands of you. If it weren't for the fact that forcing you out now risks a tantrum you'd already be gone.
"That he loves you is not in doubt but he is king." King was said with some disgust there, Rhaenys. "He can not afford to offend the various factions."
"Neither can we. I will be clear with you Daemon, for the sake of my grandchildren, I am united behind Rhaenyra's Blacks. That may not please you but I will no longer go against her," he looked towards me and nodded curtly. "We have been at odds for too long, Gooddaughter, if I want my son's sons in their rightful places I realise I must put side my own pride."
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. This was my price. My price for letting him back to the table. No more scheming, no more struggling for power, no more interfering. He is mine. Anything he does is for me and Laenor and in time, his grandsons and his blood sit the Iron Throne. But first Daemon had to be dealt with. Joffrey had already set those wheels in motion, apparently. Give him the perfect solution to his problem in a way that ensures his pride will not allow him to accept it.
"Of course. When the time comes, my beloved niece will have my full support," he lied. Laena was nodding along with him, eyes bright. Rhaenys just sighed, dangerously close to despair or violence.
"Daemon," Corlys warned again and the man dropped the pretence and glared at me.
"I will make sure she gets everything she deserves," he said and I did not like the tone or the wording one bit. My hand gave a warning ache and I rubbed at it.
"Daemon?" Laena wasn't completely stupid or blind, she'd seen the malice in the threat. He turned to her again and I could tell he wanted to rant and rage about how unfair he found everything. "We would be loyal? To my family? To Rhaenyra?"
"When they have only given disloyalty in turn? They would chain you here when you are a creature born to be free! I know your secrets, your follies! They would keep you from me and abandon you to your fears!" She flinched at that but he didn't seem to notice. "I would have given my everything to Rhaenyra and she rewarded me with hate in turn! I delivered your father a kingdom and he failed to deliver me a daughter!"
Her mouth moved silently, repeating his words over and over as if he'd spoke them in a foreign language.
"I don't understand. You said we would help Rhaenyra and my brother?" My urge to scream returned but a look from Joffrey silenced me. I clenched my jaw as my Uncle moved from his chair again and took her hands, dropping those small kisses over her fingers once more. She shuddered and I hoped it was in disgust.
"I love you. You are the only one I have ever loved. I am the only man you have ever loved. Our hearts are destined for each other. I would abandon the Stepstones for you, I would fight the world for you, I would die for you and live for you but do not ask me to fight for that hateful creature!" his tone was low and urgent. I wanted to punch him, feed him to Syrax - anything! Anything other than sit here and watch him play the lovestruck fool over Laena.
"Why do you hate her so much?" she asked, eyes wide. That derailed my little revenge fantasy I had going quite thoroughly.
"She tempted me, dear heart, she made it clear she wanted me. Then she refused me, I promised her everything, to rule by her side, and she rejected me. She poisoned Viserys against me, had me-"
"You are fucking delusional," I growled. Laena's wide eyes had turned to me, studying me with an intensity I wasn't sure I liked. Memories of that night intruded once more making breath harder to draw and my hand feel as if someone had set it aflame.
"Daemon, I was there for most of your return to King's Landing! Do not think you can lie your way out of this," Rhaenys said, coming to my defence before addressing Laena. "Sweet girl, she came to Driftmark fleeing him. Do not tell me you do not remember?"
"You.. You just said there had been trouble at court and that I was to welcome her," said Laena, faintly. Then she seemed to realise he was still clutching her hands and she pulled them away. He pulled away in turn, looking like someone had just shot him in the heart. "I thought you meant Alicent."
"Laena, he was the trouble. He pursued her. He drew Dark Sister on her. Hell, he practically maimed her!" Laenor told her, tapping my damaged hand.
"She mocked me, my love, mocked my loss and mocked my marriage. I lost my tem-"
"Lost your temper and shattered her hand. The girl still struggles to use it," Rhaenys stated plainly. Laena bought her her hands up to her face in shock, paler than I'd ever seen her. "You've been all but spitting in her face everytime you've insisted Daemon is the dashing romantic prince of your dreams. No doubt she thinks your bastard is a testment to how little you care!"
"I thought it an argument about being heir… I thought I could fix it," she mumbled. "I thought…"
"I did not realise the break was so bad," said Daemon, through gritted teeth. The sickening sounds my hand had made as he'd brought his boot down and twisted caused bile to surge into my throat. "I truly apologise if pains you still."
"Not good enough," I said, struggling to control my breathing and fighting the lightheaded feeling the threatened to send the room spinning. Rage helped. How dare he not know!? How dare he not know how much he had scared me? How much he had hurt Rhea? How much trouble he'd caused!?
"You had the Grand Maester to attend to you. My broken arm was tended to by a bone setter on Bloodstone a full week after Criston Cole snapped it," He raised his arm and flexed it, showing off the raw skin beneath the shackle. "My arm has not pained me since."
That sounded like an accusation. I stood, causing both Laenor and Joffrey to tense and struggled with my glove. Using my shaking off hand, the anger I was feeling and the fact that tears were blurring my vision made me clumsy. I flinched when Laenor stood next to me and took my hand, pulling the glove away as gently as he could.
He knew. He was with me. He had my back. Breathing became a little easier.
He brushed a thumb across the burning flesh and his mouth set into an unhappy grimace before he motioned Laena over. She came as if she were in a dream, a dream that just got worse and worse as it went on. Her touch was gentle and cool and I flinched at the oddness of it. She probed my fingers as Laenor pointed out where you could feel the bone was misshapen underneath the skin.
I kept my eyes on Daemon. I wanted him to know how much I hated him.
"I did not know," she murmured, so soft I would not have caught it had the room not been tense and silent. "It feels as if it's burning."
"It is," I managed through gritted teeth and she let her hand fall and then dropped back into her chair, eyes staring into the distance. I retook my own seat.
"Laena, it was an accident. I would not maim my own niece on purpose," Daemon said with urgency in his voice. "Please do not believe that I could, I could not bear it."
"What else am I to believe?" Her head came up and she stared at her currently very uncomfortable family. "The Seven must curse me. I am cursed."
"Sweet girl, he is a sweet and seductive man. He took you in-"
"The Seven curse me because even when I see him for what he is, I still can not help but love him. I thought him my salvation, now I realise it is punishment." Her voice was bitter and self-deprecating. I actually growled in frustration, that she should still…
"I will change! I will be worthy of your love, my dear heart." He was a man begging on his knees. "I have been a terrible man in the past. I admit to it freely. You make me a better man. Do not leave me now." He was crying. It was real and genuine. Just what we needed. It would be scary to me that Joffrey could set people up to this degree if it weren't for the fact he'd rather cut off his left leg than betray Laenor.
Daemon was a pathetic sight now. Tears of grief through swollen eyes and a broken nose, on his knees before a woman, his wrists bound in shackles and wearing bloody clothes.
I wonder if Joffrey has any bards in his employ, the Begger Prince sounds so much more appropriate than the Rogue Prince.
"Then you must prove it, Daemon," Corlys said, making us all jump. It was hard to keep the triumphant smile of my face as Corlys played his part perfectly and the jaws of the trap closed. "Go to the Stepstones, secure it for the glory of your niece. Prove yourself a changed man and perhaps when Rhaenyra is Queen… well, the High Septon would answer to her."
I grit my teeth and fought the urge to rub it into his face that he would never, ever have Laena. It would not help, for all that it would make me feel better. Corlys had played his part well enough, now it was time for mine.
"That is true. If Laena wishes it, I will argue that Laenor's approval of the marriage was not legal in the eyes of Westerosi law," It was a very, very weak excuse and anyone with half a brain would know it. It didn't matter though. It would never happen.
"If my niece would swear an oath to do such a thing, then I will… do as you have asked," Oh, you lying liar.
"I swear it, Uncle." I replied, heart beating loud in my chest. "Secure the Stepstones for me, help me take my rightful throne, and I will make sure you stand at the altar with Laena one day."
He turned back to Laena, who still looked as if she was three seconds away from leaping out the window. Why did she think she deserved punishment?
"I will do anything to be with you," he said and kissed her hand one last time. I don't believe that for a second. So now we just need to wait for the other shoe to drop.
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Leonie46
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Afterwards, Laena left for an earf- sorry, walk along the beach with Rhaenys, Daemon was placed under guard to prepare for his departure at first light, Corlys stayed in his solar to punish his liver and Joffrey, Laenor and I went to Laenor's rooms. After Joffrey had declared Laenor to be 'overstating how bad his nose pained him' and Laenor had done pouting, we turned our attention to heavier matters.
"Do not worry. He can not accept sharing her. He can not accept putting himself under Rhaenyra's power. Give him a few hours to work himself into a rage and do something stupid," Joffrey told me and then poured himself a cup of wine. "Then Corlys will ship him off with no blame attached to us and he'll look like an unhinged lunatic. We will secure Vhagar and Laena's allegiance with little work on our part."
"I dislike referring to my sister in such mercenary terms," grouched Laenor.
"I apologise. If I'm being truthful, we were merely unlucky. Had Daemon remained on the Stepstones we would have had time to further bring Laena to our side. I had an angle of sorts. Him being present makes it far less effective," Joffrey surmised as he took his wine and collapsed onto the low couch. Laenor dropped down next to him and drew him close.
"I am sorry Joff, I did not realise I was putting you in harm's way."
"And who else could you have married her too?" asked Joffrey, tangling their hands together. I suddenly felt like an intruder. "You married her to me because you wanted me close but if we speak truly I can think of no other who is loyal to Rhaenyra who would not only overlook the loss of her maidenhead but also the bastard."
"We could have let her go back to, Daemon," I said, voice bitter. "Let her learn just what her fairy tale life would have been."
"Rhaenyra you can't mean that!" Laenor cried. Joffrey just sighed.
"She's angry Laena threw everything back in her face. Our Princess does not accept rejection lightly." I frowned at that before turning round and walking to the window. He was right, damn him. Aegon, Laena… no, I've never taken rejection well. He could at least make me sound less like Daemon though.
"Rhaenyra?"
"Hmmm?"
"I am sorry about my sister."
"What's done is done. We need to think about the future now. What will we tell Viserys when we get to King's Landing?" I asked, trying to cast her from my mind and not quite succeeding.
"We tell him Daemon believed Laena his by right and reacted badly to rejection. Corlys will have to silence the men who saw today but most will bow to him. Alicent will suspect but she'll be even less willing to potentially push Laena into Daemon's arms." Joffrey told us. "We'll be dancing the line of acc-"
"Must we speak about politics again? It's all I ever get to speak about these days. I want one night where I don't have to think about bloody Daemon and who my sister is bedding," Laenor sighed, frustration evident in his voice. I turned from the window and seated myself on the couch next to them and pushed a lock of silver hair from his face, enjoying the bewildered look I got in return.
"If we don't play politics, we'll all die in dragon flame," I told him before tapping him gently on the nose. Joffrey chuckled as he wrinkled it in response.
"I shall throw myself into Seasmoke's maw if I must play the perfect Prince even in private!" he cried, finger jamming into a chuckling Joffrey's side. Joffrey jerked away and looked as if he very much wanted to respond in kind.
"You're being dramatic, Laenor. You like playing politics more than you admit," Joffrey said before running a finger over his neck, causing Laenor's eyes to flutter closed and him to lean in to his lover's chest. The tension seemed to drain from his body as Joffrey brought his arms around him with a chuckle. I had no business being here.
"I am going to ride Syrax! Have a nice afternoon."
Ride her I did. I couldn't remember the last time I'd simply clambered aboard Syrax and rode her without any real ulterior motive other than to just ride. Although my lazy dragon might grumble, I could tell she enjoyed it too. I urged her on through the winds, coaxing out the acrobatics Rhaenys had so praised her for. She especially loved dropping down low to send the sea spraying upwards with her claws. It was a meditation of sorts, taking all my anger, fear and jumbled emotions and letting Syrax burn them all up. A way to let my mind wander and just feel Syrax beneath me, let her take me where she wanted. I barely even had to use my whip, she seemed to respond to the lightest touch on the reigns or twist of my body.
I was half-drowned and emotionally numb when I finally took her in for a landing and clambered off. One of the braver Velaryon men volunteered to strip her of her saddle and I was dreaming of a warm bath and dry clothes to replace my sodden riding gear when an out of breath Laena jogged into view. I managed to stifle the groan as my warm bath seemed further and further away. Instead, I marshalled what little energy I had left and grit my teeth.
She still loved him. She knew everything and she still loved him.
Something must have shown on my face because she approached cautiously, as one might approach a wild animal you were unsure of the temperament of. Okay, I will admit that sometimes that approach was warranted. She was still breathing hard when she reached me but she looked a little more reassured I wasn't about to strike her with something when I didn't fly into a rage. A bold move to keep approaching given I still had my riding whip.
I'd put up with so much, I was so close, I wasn't going to piss it all away now because I was angry with her.
She could suffer after Daemon was safely away.
"I saw you riding Syrax. Mother says you've gotten even better," she began, directing a small hesitant smile at me. Not in the mood for small talk, I raised an eyebrow. I'm sure I looked very impressive to her, being five foot two and vaguely resembling a drowned cat. And possessing the temper of one, I reminded myself. "Very well, she said you handled her better than a drunken ostler."
I couldn't help it, I snorted in amusement and some of the tension drained out of her shoulders. I didn't take it personally, she'd once referred to Laena as an adequate rider. Adequate. The girl was the best rider of our generation. Adequate my arse, she could go toe to toe with Rhaenys on a good day.
"She told me I had to come and speak to you," Laena told me. "To beg your pardon and to ask for my position back amongst your ladies."
Oh son of a-
I'd forgotten about that. Fuck me, I'd been stupid enough to forget. Laena was one of my ladies. Rhaenys may have assumed I'd striped her of her position but it hadn't even occurred to me to do so. My ladies that accompanied me everywhere. Like to King's Landing.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. I opened my mouth to tell her that she wasn't stepping foot in the capital in my employ but she cut in.
"Please. I made a mistake. I did, I know that, but I was never disloyal. I never betrayed you. I never betrayed Laenor." When I had nothing to say to that she frowned. "You will have my nieces and nephews. You'll put them on the throne. Please believe I would never endanger that."
"You already have," I stated sourly.
"Not on purpose! I thought I could bring him to you." I did believe that. She loved her family too much to turn against them as Daemon would have required. She would love any offspring of her brothers too much to take a throne for her own from them.
She was a naive child with a temper. I'd known this. I'd always known this. Joffrey had known this. Laenor had known this. Hell, even Rhaenys had known that her complete lack of knowledge as to how the world actually worked would see her in trouble one day. None of us had done anything, even I had merely found it a charming quirk.
I worked my jaw, annoyed at being put on the spot.
I needed something to bind her to me more solidly before I could begin to trust her once more. How I hated that. That I needed blackmail material, that I needed to be the one in control, before I trusted her. Even if I could trust her she'd be a complete liability. I would be forever wondering about where she was and what she was being tricked into.
Damn it. Damn her. Damn Rhaenys.
"Do you not wish to have the babe on Driftmark?" I asked, changing tact. She blinked in surprise and laid a hand against her stomach. She would be showing soon. Hell, I was surprised she wasn't already but new mothers were often slow to show.
"You do not wish me with you in the capital?" she asked, pale and upset. I mentally winced before sighing.
"Laena-"
"What do you want from me? I will do it. I want to be of use to you and the Blacks since I have damaged your cause." Those were her Mother's words. I studied her in the half light of the evening and grimaced.
"I can't trust you," I admitted and she recoiled from me as if I had physically struck her.
"But you would go through all of this for my dragon? Why? Why if you can't trust her rider!? Why not just write me off as a lost cause?" Her sobbed question held a hint of anger and struck me dumb for a moment.
I had put up with Daemon's antics for her dragon. Put up with Laena's antics for her dragon. I was going to put up with Daemon's child close to me for years, potentially, for her sodding dragon but that dragon followed her rider. What good was the dragon if I couldn't trust the rider?
"Fine but if you ever pull anything like this ever again, there will be no third chance," I got out between gritted teeth. She nodded so hard that I feared her head may fly clean off. I'd have to get Joffrey to watch her to make sure she was never alone with Alicent's lackeys.
I led her back to Laenor's rooms and finally got my bath before changing into something dry then we took our meal in Laenor's room as a storm began to roll in, thunder crashing in the distance and the wind beginning to pick up. A note arrived from Lady Rhaenys half way through dessert telling that Laena would be expected to announce her pregnancy to her family in the morn. The damage control had evidently started then.
I did not envy Corlys in managing this shit show.
The note set the cat amongst the pigeons and so as a distraction we broke out the playing cards and a pitcher of wine. We probably should have remained sober but my body was eighteen with all the joys that brought and I was stressed out of my mind. So sue me. The four of us were more than a little tipsy when Laenor gave up being the butt monkey and dragged Joffrey over to one of the bookshelves, reading risque poetry from Lys to his blushing lover.
I found myself growing melancholy after a while. The two seemed genuinely happy. I wanted that, I realised. I wanted to be happy with someone. Woman or man, I wasn't sure it mattered to me anymore but I wanted it.
"I am sorry," Laena said in a low voice startling me from my revelation. She'd remained at the table with me, sipping wine. "I did not know. About your hand. I asked Mother. She told me everything. That he pursued you beyond all the boundaries of acceptability. That she tried to protect you. That Viserys… your Father did not listen-"
I cut her off as I held up my fingers and marvelled at how alcohol numbed the pain that was normally present when I moved them too much, was stressed or when Daemon came up in conversation. Laena's hands gently caught them and she probed the break again, pushing and rubbing at it in the way I frequently did when it pained me.
"I thought it was a tell for when you were nervous or lying," she whispered and I could just pick up the bitterness in her tone again. "I thought you lied a lot."
"I do it when it pains me. It pains me a lot," I replied, wondering why we were whispering. We stayed in silence for quite a while, listening to Laenor's terrible poetry recital and Joffrey's occasional guffaws and gasps of scandalised shock.
"Could Maester Gerardys fix it?" she asked as I basked in the cool touch. I was well aware that I should not be letting her do this, that I should be pulling away, but that lonely ache inside of me would not let me. Instead, I let myself relax a little and allowed only a slight feeling of guilt at enjoying it. Laena had been the first, and to date only, woman I'd ever wanted in this body. I'd fled to Driftmark horrified at my attraction to Daemon and found her. My one lifeline to what my mind insisted was normal. I could look at other women all I liked and feel nothing.
"No. He would need to re-break them in the exact way they were broken beforehand. No healer could be that precise. It seems I am stuck with them," I answered, shaking myself from melancholy thoughts. Her lips pressed together at that and she carried on, as if the news they could not be fixed was a challenge.
"Perhaps we should go to my rooms?" suggested Laena, startling me out of half-doze about ten minutes later. I followed her gaze and drew in a sharp breath.
Yes, let's definitely leave Joffrey and Laenor to it.