As the boys prepare for an outing in the cold, Laenor and Rhaenyra take their daughter to her Braavosi teachers. Vissie, too, is bundled up, armed to face winter with thick wool socks, high boots, and several layers of tunics and trousers. A hat covers her head so only a few strands of her hair peek out, and a red-and-black scarf is wrapped around her neck.
Rhaenyra stops when they reach the gates. "You will be perfectly safe," she promises her daughter. "Laenor tells me that these Braavosi masters are brilliant, and guards shall be with you always." Vissie smiles and wraps her arms around her. The Princess of Dragonstone kisses the top of her head.
This last moon has been difficult on her, she knows. The punishments she and her brothers received were not as terrible as they could have been, but a heavier workload, barely any time to visit their dragons, a good thrashing from Rhaenys, and a lack of freedom to go where they wish has worn on them all. She has seen the bags beneath their eyes, especially Joff's.
"Your Graces." The Braavosi men bow easily. "We will take good care of her."
"I'm sure you will," Laenor says. Rhaenyra glances at him. He wears a lopsided smile, his cheeks slightly flushed, and his eyes are bright. She follows his gaze and finds Bello. Biting the inside of her cheek, she makes a note of this in the back of her mind.
"We'll be off then," Bello says. The Princess of Dragonstone nods in assent. She watches her daughter as she leaves, watches until she leaves through the gates, and sighs. Then she turns to her husband and says, "Let's go get the boys."
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They trudge through the light layer of snow on the ground cautiously, mounted on their sturdy horses. Luke is sitting atop his father's mount, still just a bit too small for a pony, and he laughs as Laenor urges his mount forward at random times. Joff's back is pressed against Rhaenyra's own chest, and his head lols.
"Joff?" she asks. "Are you well? We can always go back."
"'M fine," he replies. "Just tired."
His mother frowns and while she does not dispute him, she draws her arms closer to her body. He will not fall from this horse under her watch. They draw to a stop around a clearing. Velaryon and Targaryen guards all around them, the Princess of Dragonstone dismounts and helps her son down with an un-ladylike grunt. He is getting heavy. Beside her, Laenor does the same with Luke.
A few servants set up fires and unpack bread and dried meat from their satchels a good distance away. That leaves Rhaenyra, Laenor, Luke, and Joff alone. She suddenly wishes she had brought Baela and Rhaena along. They would have enjoyed this, she thinks. I'll bring them next time.
There's a long pause. No one is sure of what to do. Then Luke reaches out and stretches up to jab at his father's side. "Catch us if you can!" he says. Then he and his brother are off and running. Laenor laughs. He takes after them, and snow goes flying.
Rhaenyra smiles at the sight. Her heart grows warm.
"I'll get you!" her husband fake-growls. Joff stumbles for a moment, sliding against the snow, and his father grabs him and hoists him up into the air, spinning him around as he giggles.
"Let me go!" he squeals. Laenor pauses.
"Do you mean that?" he asks, looking dead serious.
"Yes!"
"Well then, be careful what you wish for!" Rhaenyra's eyes widen as her husband turns sharply back to her. He takes four of five long strides, their son protesting all the way through, and throws him at her. It's not high or hard enough to truly hurt if he falls, but he shouts, "Catch!" nonetheless. Her arms go out and Joff flies into her hold just as Laenor turns around to face Luke.
Rhaenyra stumbles back. Joff groans and she looks at him, concerned. But then he raises his head and a grin has stolen across his face and he looks happier than he has in weeks, and she chuckles. Letting him wriggle out of her hold, she watches as he throws himself at his father, intent on revenge. Laenor, who is preoccupied by Luke, does not even sense his approach.
"Agh!" he cries. Laenor whips around, eyes wide, and is met with a small body pelting at his legs. Luke, taking advantage of the situation, jumps on his back. They drop to the snow in a tumble of limbs, the clearing resounding with laughter.
Rhaenyra cackles a distance away and their eyes go to her. Her husband gets a mischievous look. Her heart sinks. "No," she says. "Oh, no. Absolutely not."
"Boys," he says, unheeding, "It seems your mother thinks she can make fools of us. How about we show her how cold it really is?"
And then she, the Princess of Dragonstone, the heir to the Iron Throne, is besieged by her husband and traitorous sons, shrieking all the way.
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Rhaenyra's happiness does not last all that long. As her family eats across the blankets that have been laid out for them, a servant approaches. He whispers in her ear, "There is news from court, Your Grace," and she knows it is nothing good.
Alicent has informers upon Dragonstone, she knows. Maybe not spies, but people who keep their ears open for rumors and whose hands love the cold kiss of gold. She has the same, in the Red Keep. If one of them has deemed to contact her, it is important. She wipes her hands with a cloth and rises.
The man hands her a letter.
Laenor, who is busy entertaining their children, does not notice her step a few paces away and unfurl the parchment.
Rhaenyra goes pale at what she finds.
Your Grace,
I do not know how credible the rumors are at this time, but there is talk about the Red Keep, and especially in Hightower residences, that the Queen has been pushing the King for a betrothal between your brother, Prince Aegon, and your sister, Princess Helaena. I deemed it important for you to know.
Best wishes,
X
A betrothal between Aegon and Helaena? Rhaenyra's mind races at all of the connotations of such a thing. Her hands curl to fists. Her children are Velaryon, and some are suspected bastards to boot. If they inherit, the Greens have argued, the ruling dynasty of the Seven Kingdoms will be changed, the rightful house displanted. It is one of the main reasons, apart from her sex, why Rhaenys was passsed over in terms of the succession after Prince Aemon's death. It was why, after the death of Rhaenyra's grandfather, Laenor was ignored as well, even though he was the desired male heir.
In this betrothal, Alicent is practically screaming into the world that her children are more Targaryen than Rhaenyra, for they have wed as their kind ought to, and that their children will be more worthy of the throne than her own.
Damn her! The Princess of Dragonstone trembles with fury. Damn her throughout all the seven hells!
"Rhaenyra?" Laenor has taken note of her absence. He frowns at the look on her face. "Rhaenyra, what's wrong?"
Her lips purse. "I'll tell you later," she says, "but now I need to be alone. Enjoy the rest of your time." He hesitates for a moment. Then he nods.
She kisses their sons each on the forehead and squeezes his hand. After that she mounts her horse stomach churning with rage. "I'll see you upon your return," she promises. Then she snaps the reins and kicks her heels into the sides of her horse.
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"Do you want to tell me what that was about now?" Laenor asks, freshly returned. He leans against the doorframe.
Rhaenyra runs a hand through her hair.
"The Hightower bitch is pushing my father for a betrothal between Aegon and Helaena," she says. His brow furrows, and she knows he has made the same connections as her.
"On one hand," he says, "That's very bad. On the other, it's better. Now Aegon can't win the support of a great house by promising to marry one of its daughters."
Rhaenyra pauses. "That's a fair point," she admits, "But this is still dangerous, and I don't know what to do about it."
Laenor thinks for a long moment. Then his eyes go bright. He snaps his fingers. "Helaena gets along famously with Vissie, does she not?"
"Aye."
"And it is safe to say that, through her, you two are close?" Rhaenyra nods. She smiles as she begins to see where he's going with this. "Write a letter to your father, then, and ask to foster her here. Alicent cannot protest without looking ungracious, and several important people were unimpressed by how she handled the incident with Aemond. Bring Helaena here, play the part of doting big sister, and steal her from the light of the capital. With her out of sight, that should buy us both some time and more of the King's favor."
"You," Rhaenyra breathes, "Are a genius."
He winks.
"I do try."
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That night, after putting her elder children to bed and visiting Aemon, the Princess of Dragonstone writes her letter to her father. She is courteous and charming, and does her best to play the role of adoring elder sister. In all fairness, she likes Helaena most out of all of Alicent's brood. The girl gets on well with Vissie, and her brothers through that, and hers is a kind and gentle soul. Perhaps, Rhaenyra admits grudgingly, she even likes the idea of her fostering here. She never has gotten the chance to know what loving a sibling is like. Aegon, Aemond, and Daeron pose too much of a threat to her, and Baelon died young. Helaena was estranged for a while, before Vissie, and now Rhaenyra sees an opportunity to reach out further, to make her family rather than just blood.
She will take it.
As she seals her letter, she pauses.
Family.
The word echoes through her mind, and suddenly, she remembers all of the stories of her mother Vissie has been asking for.
Family.
She remembers Aemma Arryn, recalls meeting her kin, once.
Family.
Mayhaps she wishes to find blood besides her own immediate relatives, and Baela and Rhaena, that she can love without the shadow of Alicent Hightower looming over her.
Family.
Rhaenyra takes another roll of parchment and begins writing a letter to her cousin in the Vale.
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A/N: Oof, this chapter is short. I meant for it to be longer, but let's be honest, dragging shit out just makes it worse. A big thanks to Leonie for, once again, helping me work the kinks out of this chapter. I hope y'all enjoyed the political machinations haha. This is the first chapter that's really more focused on them. I'm super excited for next week's chapter! It's gonna be a blast to write, though it doesn't have all that much plot progression in terms of politicking, I think you guys will like it too.