Hello there, here is the second part of the fall of House Targaryen.
Chapter 2: The Fall of House Targaryen Pt2
Jaehaerys
Jaehaerys and Viserys both lit the pyre of their mother, the flames burning the corpse of the Queen and the wind taking the smoke and ashes into the sky like a dragon taking its last flight.
See Willem watched with some of their guards and Maester Kylon, the Prince signed and reached for his mother's crown that lay upon his head then his purple eyes watched the nearing clouds come closer and headed by the Usurper or one of his lackeys sent to attack them.
"My Prince, you are the eldest Targaryen now." Willem stated as they left back for the keep, "I have a ship, fast and steady that'll take us to Dorne or across to Essos." Jaehaerys stopped and looked at the older man.
"We are Targaryens, not the Blackfyre pretenders and we won't run like pretenders." He said defiantly and Willem sighed.
"Then what you suggest, my Prince?" Jaehaerys won't leave his home, nor will they go to Dorne to the Martells who'll only use them. They won't run, Aegon and Dany may not make the journey or might get sick.
"We will endure, just as we had done for centuries before the Conquerer engulfed Westeros." He took a deep breath and continued, "We will surrender and treat with Robert Baratheon."
Some of the guards and servants were planning on turning his family over soon, better to make the call himself and risk trying to keep what they can than losing it all and getting sent before the Usurper in chains.
The Baratheon fleet was yards away from the island, several landing boats rowed close and Jaehaerys, despite being only ten tried to stand as tall and straight as he could. His nephew and baby sister are held by a pair of wet nurses, Rhaenys and Viserys at his right and Ser Willem at his left with a dozen of their most loyal soldiers standing guard.
Most of the invaders bore the stag on their chests, wearing helms and carrying spears. They all looked ordinary apart from one man among them.
The man was tall, short black hair covered the top of his head and had stone cold dark blue pools, he was wearing mail with a crowned stag on his breast. He looked to Willem who whispered the name, Stannis Baratheon... The Usurpers brother.
Jaehaerys was intimidated, true but he faked a determined expression and stepped forward with Willem at his side.
"Greetings Lord Stannis, welcome to Dragonstone." He said, had to be a little loud due to the waves and wind.
Stannis eyed him for a long moment, "Where is the Queen?" the man demanded to know.
Viserys scowled and Rhaenys hid her face, "Our mother passed two days ago, giving birth to my sister Daenerys. I am the head of my House, for now until Aegon is old enough." Stannis scoffed a response.
"Is this show supposed to be you surrendering?" He nodded, Stannis looked at each of the men behind his family. "You are all prisoners, now, my men will garrison while you and your family come to the Red Keep with me."
Jaehaerys stepped and cleared his throat, "Excuse me, my Lord." Stannis turned sharply at him interrupting him. "Me, Viserys, and Rhaenys will come with you gladly but my nephew and sister are infants and Aegon already was unwell on the first voyage here before King's Landing fell so might they remain with their wet nurses here?" It was a reasonable request and he worried that he'd be denied but Stannis nodded.
"Fine. Commander!" a man stepped forward, "Half our force will remain and you in command, now let's get back to the capital."
He held his niece and brother's hand, Viserys was angry as they sailed to the Fury, Stannis's flagship. An hour astern beginning their voyage, he while under guard sought an audience with Lord Stannis in his cabin.
He asked about the state of Princess Elia, he borrowed knowing her fat and Stannis said the man who did the deed was killed by Jaime Lannister who had been placed in a cell but was pardoned on the request of Lord Tywin Lannister.
Jaehaerys secretly hated them all, Lord Tywin, his son, and the men who killed Elia and his father.
This was embarrassing being in this position, he knew he'd have to grovel and swear fealty but it was the only way apart from running in exile to save his family and stay in their home.
Why couldn't this have happened years from now? He might have been older and able to help his family in a way.
Night came by the time they reached King's Landing, the winds were kind or cruel as he thought and he and his niece and brother were hauled off the ship and carted up to the Red Keep.
Jaehaerys and Viserys were horrified upon seeing the sight of their father, King Aerys the Second's headless corpse on display above the gatehouse and the head not far from it. "Lord Stannis?" He called and the man turned his head, "After we are finished, may we bury our father? He was the King." Another man, barked in laughter at his request.
"He's not the King anymore, Abomination." Viserys wanted to throw something at him, Jaehaerys made sure to remember this man's face and what was said.
It was sad to see the black stag on yellow replacing the proud red three-headed dragon on black, the Goldcloaks that were founded by Daemon Targaryen now serving a different House and King.
He, Viserys, and Rhaenys were taken to the throne room. The doors opened and he saw the Usurper and all of his commanders standing at either his right or left, closer he saw the Warhammer that Robert held was still red from dried blood.
There were others, Lord Qarlton Chelstead his father's Master of Coin, and Lord Varys and Grand Maester Pycelle. Jaehaerys narrowed his eyes at Lucerys Velaryon, the Master of Ships and the Lord of Driftmark turned his head away in shame.
Robert Baratheon got off the Iron Throne, stepping down the steps not caring for the jagged blades that surround it
Jaehaerys and his kin knelt to one knee, his hands trembling as he surrendered his mother's crown to Robert. "Your Grace, as the head of my House I concede to your authority, the Seven Kingdoms are yours." He betrayed every ancestor before him with this act.
The Usurper glared with hate, "I should behead each of you!" A low rumble in the new King's voice. "Where is Rhaegar's son, and the newborn dragonspawn Rhaella whelped?"
"At Dragonstone, I was worried they may not make the trip to surrender." He told honestly, Robert walked over and talked to Stannis, the old Falcon Lord joined with the Wolf Lord too. Jaehaerys held his brother and Rhaenys's hand to help calm him.
The Falcon Lord then spoke, and he noticed the man was wearing the Hand's pin too. "We have beaten your House, taking the Iron Throne in the way of Conquest, you understand this?" He nodded and the new Hand sighed, looking at his allies before continuing, "His Grace is willing to allow the remaining members of House Targaryen to live as vassals at your ancestral seat of Dragonstone as Aegon did in the Conquest to Houses Stark, Lannister, and Arryn."
Tywin glared at him, "For the time being, a hostage is to be given to the Crown." A hostage?
"That isn't necessary, please, we will be loyal- " Eddard Stark cut him off as he began to panic, rebutting Tywin's suggestion.
"We won, Lord Tywin. They have no wealth or armies to defy us, this is unnecessary." Jaehaerys breathed a sigh, thinking that his House will be safe.
Tywin scoffed, "Then perhaps a promise in the near future, a son to ward at court and ensure the future generations of House Targaryen know they will never be higher than just that, a vassal." Does this man have no heart, Robert nodded to the idea and Jaehaerys gritted his teeth.
"Very well, rise Jaehaerys!" Robert commanded, "I name you Lord of Dragonstone. Upon the birth of your own son, he shall serve me at my whims... Now begone, sulk back to your spit of land."
They were allowed to take a ship back to Dragonstone, King Robert and his Small Council would allow his House to make coin from a port and keep a force of no more than one thousand men. His request to take his father and Elia's corpses back to Dragonstone for burial was allowed, they even got to sail home on Balerion, his father's favorite ship.
Viserys was angry with him, and said that he was such a weak-willed coward who'd bow to the Usurper and his dogs.
Emotionally drained, Jaehaerys looked at the moon and wished things were different, "Uncle Jaehaerys?" He turned quickly and saw the four-year-old Rhaenys walk toward him.
"Why aren't you asleep?" He asked and she looked like she had been crying again, "Come sit with me." She took a spot next to him.
"Jae?" Rhaenys called, "Did you mean all of that? Serving my father's killer?" Jaehaerys frowned and felt the tears well up in his eyes.
The faces of Rhaegar, of his Mother, and his Father flashed in his mind as he pondered what she asked him. He did this because he didn't want to run like the Blackfyres, trying and trying again to take the throne and seeing his family perish.
The Lord of Dragonstone, it should be Prince of Dragonstone and he gritted his teeth.
"No, I didn't mean it, Rhaenys." He got to his feet and leaned on the railing, "It may not be in our lifetime or in the one coming after us, but the House of the Dragon will rise again and regain its glory and revenge."
Willem met them on the beach upon their return, happy that they hadn't been harmed or worse killed by Robert Baratheon.
The Baratheon commander upon receiving his new orders left with his garrison, Jaehaerys was shocked that they had destroyed every room and furniture being everywhere and the Baratheon banners being hung in the throne room made him angry.
"Was anyone hurt?" He had asked his retainer, Willem nodded and said the brutes had bullied some of the servants, and injured a number of the Targaryen soldiers.
Reaching the nursery he walked over and looked at Aegon and Daenerys sleeping close as siblings, he smiled and turned back to see Viserys who grumbled and walked away clutching a banner of their House his brother picked up.
"Robert allowed us to trade and manage a force of a thousand but no more, he also wants a hostage in the form of my firstborn son when I am married." He informed the Knight.
"By Gods, I am sorry, Jaehaerys." He needn't be nor has he done anything to be sorry.
"It was embarrassing, Ser. They had my father's body- Headless and hanging from the gatehouse... He might've not been a good man but he was a King! He deserved respect!" He seethed and was wrathful and ached for revenge.
Willem came to his side, placing a hand on his shoulder, "I don't blame you Jaehaerys, I will help you and your family with all I can." Nodding, Jaehaerys calmed and looked out to the sea, and West of it was his home and his nephew's Throne.
"What I want is revenge... "
It will need to be carefully planned, the slightest of mistake will cost them all their lives but Jaehaerys is his namesake and like Jaehaerys I, he will wait and pick his opportunity when his enemies have destroyed each other.
At dawn, the royal family gathered with servants and guards to lay the King and Elia to rest as they had done to Rhaella.
A fortnight later he was awoken by Willem, he rubbed his eyes and followed his caretaker to the Southern side of Dragonmont where the dragons of old once made their lairs, Willem said that secrecy was of the utmost importance.
Four cloaked figures awaited them, closer and they revealed themselves.
Varys. Lucerys. Qarlton. The biggest surprise was Barristan Selmy. "Thank you all for coming, Prince Jaehaerys appreciates it," Willem said and Lucerys stepped forward.
"My Prince, allow me to apologize on behalf of the rest of us for not coming sooner." Lord Velaryon knelt, "Our Houses have been allies for centuries, and for a year I've failed you, it won't happen again."
Qarlton stepped up next, "I too will never turn from your House nor you."
"I have been a supporter of your House behind the lines, my Prince. I will use my talents to keep your plans secret." Varys swore and he nodded, appreciating that from the man his father trusted most throughout his reign.
Barristan, still adorned in the Kingsguard armor of his House knelt to one knee and laid his sword at his feet. "I was wounded after the battle of the Trident, my Prince. I failed to protect your brother, his wife, and the King but I still hold true to my vows and will fight and protect you and your family." He helped Barristan up and stepped back.
Willem cleared his throat, "This is just the beginning, Jaehaerys. The House of the Dragon may have fallen today, but from ashes, it will be reborn."
AN: A lot of influence from Jon and Eddard is the reason Robert was lenient on the House he had defeated.
Big shifts with House Targaryen going from exile in one universe to vassal in another. Stannis retains Storm's End, Aegon and Rhaenys lives to grow up and Viserys after growing up as a noble instead of exile should abate madness. Daenerys will also have a brighter outlook rather than being that shy girl in Pentos.
The next chapter details the Greyjoy Rebellion and a visit to Dorne.