Calla

Calla lit a new candle and placed it down in front of the statue. This was no Sept of Baelor: the royal Sept inside the Red Keep was rarely visited these days after Aenys took the Iron Throne. The Blackfyres kept to the Seven, but growing up in Tyrosh they knew many other Gods as well. Aside from keeping appearances, there was no reason to pay more attention to the Seven than the Trios or the Red God.

So why was she here, instead of staying with her family or doing anything useful?

Calla glanced at the marble statue illuminated by her candle. The Mother did not stand. She sat on a large chair, glancing down at her visitors lovingly. It was the fitting aspect of the Seven for her to pray to, for Daena's wellbeing. And she had done so when she entered the Sept, thanking the Mother for Viserys' birth and praying for Daena's swift recovery. She had prayed for Aelor as well, and Donnor, and all the lost souls she could not save…

But to Calla, there was only one Goddess that she most desperately wanted to communicate with.

She knelt, the marble floor cold against her bare knees, making her shiver. She was not wearing any armour, having opted for a simpler dress when praying. But if she wanted protection, she could still…

She laid her palms upwards. Crystal appeared, its light much brighter than the candle she lit up. Closing her eyes, Calla made her wish. She felt Crystal's warmth spread through her body, its gleaming light covering her clothes. No ordinary sword could pierce her now, yet this was still not what she wanted.

She pictured the Goddess. Long hair, like snakes, hissing. Her only arm holding Crystal, her lower body replaced by a tail. She used the bones of her legs and the flesh of her arm to create Crystal, Calla knew. She sacrificed much of herself to save the world. To slay the Evil.

…But she didn't let anyone die for her sword. Bloodraven is wrong. He has to be.

It was for this reason that she came to the Sept instead of the Godswood in the Red Keep— she had been there before, hoping to receive a message from the Old Gods, but there was nothing but silence. And now she had given up on them. Whatever wisdom they held, it was clear that they would not share with her.

And their emissary, Bloodraven, had tried to impose something wrong on her. She would not seek them out again.

Instead she sought to reach the centre of the myth. The Goddess herself. Calla had spoken with her before, and it was from there she learned the tale of Crystal. She was harsh to Calla, but she was not… Bloodraven.

The answer Calla sought was not in Westeros or Essos. It was in Calla, in Crystal, for the sword was what had once allowed her to communicate with the Goddess. If she pushed herself enough, she would be able to do it again—

She breathed out, letting the edge of the blade and the irregular spikes on Crystal dig into her palm. It did not hurt, for Crystal was part of her, since that fateful night when she wished for the power to protect her family. The sword had chosen her… yet she saw nothing in Crystal's light.

"…Damn it," Calla muttered. Then louder, she said again, "Damn it…!"

She could not stay here forever. They had recently lost contact with White Harbour… The monster was moving southwards, soon to Moat Cailin, and once it passed through the swamp, the richer and more populated riverlands would be its prey. The Seven Kingdoms had not responded to Aenys' call to arms kindly, with the forces they sent much smaller than what Calla had hoped—

—But how does it matter, when they're only going to be slaughtered wholesale?

…In the end, the majority of their army were northmen. Those were the people who knew the danger they faced… and they had nowhere to go, their only home cruelly taken from them. Yet it hurt Calla to think that they were going back to die just after narrowly escaping death.

Perhaps it was meant to be. Escaped or not, no one could rely on others to fight their own battles. Because no matter how large the threat was, it was not your threat until you were forced to face it, unable to overlook it.

But this was also Calla's battle. A fight she could not lose.

The heavy door behind her creaked open, the edge of the door scraping against the marble floor. Aegor crossed over the entrance of the Sept and walked towards Calla, his gaze pointed towards the sword in her hands, questioning. When she shook her head he sighed. "Calla," he called, his low voice echoing in the quiet Sept, "Daena wants to see us."

"Daena!" Calla cried, made Crystal disappear and stood up, "She has recovered?"

"It seems so. Whatever the maester gave her must be effective. She's again walking around and being her meddling self." As Calla sighed happily, he added, "Aenys wants to see us as well."

Calla frowned. "As in, they want to see us together?"

"Exactly. Aenys has something important to tell us all, she said." Aegor pursed his lips, "You know what Aenys is like, these days. This isn't a good sign."

The haunted look Aenys had before flashed in Calla's mind. The stress of managing an empire while facing a world-destroying monster, his marriage in shambles… not to mention what happened before, his failed plan for King's Landing, her massacre, the loss of his heir…

"Ah." Daena had a son. "Could it be that Aenys wants to proclaim Viserys to be his heir?"

Aegor nodded as if he was expecting this answer all along. "Very likely, yes. Aenys is… unwilling to have more children, so Daena's son might be what he's waiting for. But that will be bypassing you and Daena in succession." He shook his head, "This won't do. We're heading into war, he needs an adult as heir, not a babe— especially not one that's not his son."

"Why does it matter? If Viserys inherits, Daena will be his regent. It's the same as Daena inheriting anyway. And I…" I'll be dead, by that point, "I'm no queenly material. It's for the best that he sorts out the inheritance now."

Yet Aegor still disagreed. "You're Aenys' lawful heir, then Daena, then her son. The succession is clear enough. We can't let Viserys be heir before Daena, for there's one man who can and will claim regent for his son."

"…Aerion Brightflame," Calla sighed, "True, I can see that being a problem. If we let that fool hold any power, he'll ruin the realm in a week." He might truly love Daena, but that did not make him less of an idiot. Calla did not want to imagine him on the Iron Throne.

"If Daena is the ruling queen she can reign him in, but when it's their son as king instead…" Aegor snorted, "You can imagine how it'll be. I didn't fight just to hand the realm back to the Targaryens, especially not the worst of them."

"Could he even take power when the court is full of Blackfyre loyalists?" Calla questioned, "If our position is so weak to be usurped by the likes of him, then we have much more to worry about."

"He can't, not now," Aegor frowned, "But after our forces go north—"

"In our moment of weakness Targaryen loyalists can make a comeback," Calla sighed. She could see what Aegor was trying to not mention, that they could all die fighting the monster and leaving the throne within reach for the Targaryens— but at that point, what realm would be left for them to rule?

"…We'll prepare for the worst," perhaps reaching the same conclusion she had, Aegor said, "Aenys and Daena must have thought of it as well. Let's see what they have to say."

Calla nodded.

—

Halfway through the castle, Calla noticed something wrong. They were not entering Maegor's Holdfast. "Are we not to meet Aenys in his solar?"

"No, he summoned us to the throne room." Calla gave him a surprised look. "If he wants to discuss the succession, it'll be symbolic," Aegor added.

"That does seem to be something Aenys would think of," Calla replied. But she felt somewhat unsettled. Was this all? Was this not leading to something else?

There was no time for Calla to ponder. When they arrived in front of the throne room, two kingsguards quickly moved aside and allowed them to enter.

And she saw them, at the foot of the Iron Throne.

Daena was at the side of the throne, her arm crossed. Biting her lips, there was something cold and determined in her gaze. A chair that must have been prepared for her sat just a few steps away, but she did not sit on it, instead standing next to Aenys.

Aenys stood in front of the Iron Throne, facing the empty seat and showing his back to them. Staring at the throne, he did not turn to face them until they were near him.

"Uncle Aegor. Calla," Aenys nodded towards them, a strange smile on his face, "You came."

Calla felt her heart tighten. The tone Aenys used— his voice, his posture— was wrong. This was no normal family meeting, or a discussion of laws and policies and strategies.

"…Yes," she squeezed out, and turned to glance at her sister, "Daena, you—"

"I'm fine now. Strong and fit and able to beat two men at once," Daena waved her arms, her voice dry and devoid of humour, "Aenys has something he must tell you." Her gaze on him was sharp.

With her words, Aenys' smile grew. As if to break the uncomfortable air, Aegor opened his mouth, "Your Grace." His voice was tighter than usual. He must have noticed how wrong Aenys was acting as well.

"This is no small council meeting, uncle," Aenys said, still wearing his strange smile, "It's only an… issue within our family."

Aegor's gaze on Aenys was piercing. "Then I won't waste time on courtesy, Aenys. Did you summon us to talk about your succession?"

"Succession…? In a way, I suppose." Aenys' answer was somewhat off. He shrugged, "We might as well start from something harmless. I have written a will in the case of my passing. It's there."

"There?" In the direction Aenys pointed was… Daena's chair… no, under the chair. A chest lay unassumingly, and Calla could even see a golden lock securing the opening, although its shape and colour were…

Frowning, Aegor picked up the chest. In his arms, the chest's irregular surface and unique texture were clearly visible.

"…It looks like… part of the Iron Throne," Calla pointed out. One side of the chest was normal, but the back of the chest was painted to look like old, blackened metal, with edges pointing out.

"It's designed to be hidden on the throne… in plain sight," Aegor mumbled. He turned to Aenys, "How long have you been sitting on this?"

"A month or so. At first, the idea was simply putting it in my bedchamber or my solar, but this makes it feel more legitimate. The Iron Throne is the symbol of power, after all, so it's appropriate."

Daena sneered, "I doubt that it'll impress them more than it has impressed me, brother." Tapping a finger on the chest, she spoke quickly, "Aenys said that only Selyse has the key to this chest, but she doesn't know that it's placed on the Iron Throne, only the three of us do. If he dies one day, we'll open it to check his will."

"There, done," she looked pointedly at Aenys, "Now get on with it. Tell them the truth…" gritting her teeth, she hissed, "Tell us."

Aenys smiled wryly, "I'm getting on to it."

"What truth?" Calla asked, knowing that she would not like the answer. Daena was so angry with Aenys… dread inside her chest hammered on her heart as if ringing a warning bell.

"…You know why I must write a will?" Yet Aenys was still avoiding her question.

"You wish to fight in the war against the monster from the North," Aegor answered, his words cold and certain, "And there's a chance that you won't return."

"Yes, it's…" Aenys sighed, "It's the only way I could hope to redeem myself. I can never wash away the blood on my hands… but if I fight in my war, I can at least die with dignity."

"Because of the Flea Bottom massacre?" But that was Calla's fault. "Because of… what happened between you and Selyse?" Whatever had happened, Calla would never think that Aenys should pay with his death…

"No, not those," Aenys shook his head, "everything you said is just the result of the crime I have committed. You never noticed it, did you, Calla?" he chuckled, his lips twisting into a mad grin as he turned to Aegor, "Even you haven't found it out, right, uncle?"

Facing Aenys' question, Aegor only stared him down. "Aside from Daena, which of us don't have blood on our hands?" Aegor asked, his eyes narrowed. "You're the king. There'll be a war against a mythical enemy… we cannot convince our soldiers to fight for us unless you fight alongside them. So, unlike before, I won't stop you from fighting, even if you must be on the frontline… even if you might die."

Even if you might die… Calla clenched her fists. She knew that Aegor was right. This was a war Aenys must participate in. They had tried to gather as many men as they could… but, to say it to Aenys who wanted to die!

"Ha," Aenys laughed, "This sounds like the Uncle Aegor I know. Always telling me how to do my job… after you failed yours."

"Aenys Blackfyre!" finally at her limit, Daena shouted, "Stop muddling the water and—"

"I'm not finished yet, Aenys," Aegor said calmly. "I agree to let you fight. But I don't agree with your attitude."

"My… attitude?" Aenys squeezed his eyes.

"You're wrong, Aenys," Aegor continued, "if you fight not to live, but to die… a suicidal leader can't inspire morale. Whatever wrongdoings you have committed, you can't sabotage our war efforts for such foolish reasons!"

Aenys' expression darkened. "It isn't foolish!" biting his lips, he shouted, "I have tried to act the role of the king for so long, but I shouldn't have taken the throne in the first place— After I—"

"After… what?" Calla whispered. I don't want to know… she thought, yet she asked all the same. As if being pushed by something invisible…

Aenys' gaze turned towards her. His eyes were filled with tears. "After I… I… killed…" He shivered, a choking noise from his throat, "I killed them."

"Who?" Unconsciously, Calla stepped forward, fear flowing in her bloodstream. Raising her voice, she repeated, "Aenys, who did you kill? Tell me!"

"It's… it's…" Lowering his head, Aenys mumbled, "I'm sorry that I'm so weak, Daena… I can't…"

Daena—

Calla turned to her sister. Gritting her teeth as tears dripped down her face, she sighed, "Aenys… killed Daemon and Haegon. So that he could be king…" her gaze hesitatingly turned towards Aenys, "…am I right, brother?"

Aenys nodded.

Slowly, he collapsed, his knees falling to the ground. His hands covering his face, Aenys whimpered, his discontinuous words becoming nearly unrecognisable, "I named my son after Daemon… of course, my boy died as well… I don't deserve to have… a family."

"But Daemon and Haegon died… on the Redgrass Field..." Calla felt the blood draining from her face. The world had gone mad. What were Daena and Aenys saying? Aenys had been a sweet boy… anything bad that he had done was because of the pressure and responsibility he must bear…

Daemon… Daemon had his own circle of friends and was never close to any of them, but Aenys and Haegon were good friends. When they were still in Tyrosh, Aenys always followed Haegon and Daena around, they used to do everything together… so how could—

Right, Haegon. "I saw how Haegon died. Bloodraven murdered him," Calla cried, "You couldn't have killed Haegon, Aenys!"

"Brynden is the one who killed Haegon, that's unmistakable," Aegor said, stepping close to Aenys, frowning deeply, "Whatever role you think you have in his death, you didn't kill him. As for Daemon…"

Aenys' body trembled. Suddenly, he looked up, his face blank and his voice empty. "I murdered Daemon on the battlefield so no one would find out that I did it… stabbing him from the back. Then I left him, bleeding on the ground… his blood painting the grass red…" Like a broken doll, the corners of his mouth lifted. "It was so easy. He didn't even scream…"

Aenys laughed, his voice dry, tears never stopped dropping from his eyes. Daena gritted her teeth, her fingers tangled and placed on her chest, seemingly forcing herself not to scream. Aegor's eyes widened, a hand clenched into a fist, his expression leaked conflict. Calla… Calla cried, silently.

Crying for the truth she did not want to hear, the truth that she had failed to see earlier. Crying for the brother who was betrayed… and the brother who had fallen into darkness. She believed that Aenys was a kind, sweet brother, she still did, yet…

Laughing hysterically, Aenys glanced at Aegor, "Later I saw Haegon found Daemon, just some distance away from the Targaryen's army. So I called you, Uncle, not to help Haegon, but to die under the same arrows that killed Father and Aegon and Aemon." Tears dripping from his face, he announced, "So in a sense, I killed Haegon as well. I wanted all of you to die, so no one could contest me for power."

Aegor gritted his teeth, frowning deeply. Calla stared straight at Aenys. Her mouth opened… for a fruitless protest. "But we're family… You love everyone... you're always the sweetest brother, you care for—"

"You don't know it, do you?!" Aenys growled, glaring at Calla with reddened, swollen eyes, his fingers curled up and knuckles white, "You don't know how much I was jealous of Daemon— and everyone. I'm jealous of you, with the magical sword you're given. Jealous of Haegon, with his natural skills and charisma. People said he's the mirror image of Father— and next to him I was nothing! NOTHING!"

Aenys' ear-splitting howl shocked Calla to the core. All the words that she would say seemed so meaningless now. All the merits and virtues she believed Aenys held— did they matter if her brother did not see it? The jealousy, the resentment… to think that none of them ever noticed, to think that they let those emotions festered into murder!

"If Haegon was the elder instead of Daemon, then perhaps I could be content with being the fifth son." Aenys gritted his teeth, panting heavily, "But Daemon… all Daemon did was dream. He even left Essos on his own and forced us to clean up after his mess... but he almost won! Because we had Calla and her Crystal! It wasn't fair. When I confronted him, he acted like it was in his plan all along… only talking about dreams and prophecies. So the next day, I..." His gaze dropped down to the floor, his voice turned into a whisper, "I thought that he didn't deserve the throne."

Calla could not say anything. The sight of Aenys kneeling on the ground was pitiful… his words were full of regret. But disgust and hatred had engulfed her, making her unable to simply forgive him.

…She had to forgive him. Daemon and Haegon could not be brought back no matter what, and she could not lose the only brother she had left as well. Aenys had hidden his crimes and let guilt consume him… he had suffered for his sins. If he was truly sorry, then… she should…

But—!

"And you deserve the Iron Throne, Aenys Blackfyre?" Aegor asked coldly... too cold, too unemotional. Too calm. And when Calla looked back at him she saw there was a calculated gleam in his eyes. Did he know something?

Aegor's question triggered rage in Aenys, and he shouted, "I worked hard for it, before and after I got it! Daemon and Haegon didn't have the greed for it, the ambition, the determination. I fought for it, therefore I should have it. I had plans and I knew I could bring it to reality... but I..."

His voice broke, "It was all wrong. Only after my son died that I understood. I sold my soul for a crown… and no matter what I do, I can't take it back. Before, I was whole, with good and bad inside me… now, I'm only half. When I killed Daemon, I killed every good in me. I'm not just a kinslayer, but also a failure of a king. I harmed the one I care about the most. And now…" He looked back at the three of them, "The day of judgment has come for me."

Judge. Calla recalled the day she had thrown herself to be judged by the whole King's Landing. She wanted to repent so badly… wishing that time could turn back, wishing that there had been another way. And Aenys was there as well. He saved her life… helping her earn the forgiveness she so craved…

Had he been wishing to confess to them then? So that he could earn their forgiveness?

"Did Daemon know that you stabbed him?" Aegor asked urgently, holding up Aenys' shoulder so that he could look at Aenys' face, "Did he see your face?"

"No, but I whispered in his ears. 'You don't deserve to be king'. So there's no way he didn't know it was me." Shaking, Aenys asked, "Why did you ask? It doesn't matter at this point."

Aegor clenched his fists. "Daemon was still alive when I found him. He didn't mention a thing about you."

"But then Daemon…" Daena mumbled, her voice trembling, "He hid it—"

"That couldn't be!" Aenys screamed, eyes wide. "I stabbed him right in his heart!"

...Ah. Calla understood. Aenys... was never the best swordsman… and he was bad at precise attacks since he was a child.

"You thought you did, but you missed," Aegor said, "All Daemon said was that he had seen that we would win… and Haegon would be a better king than him."

"No! Then I… I…" covering his head, his ears, Aenys cried, "I saw them in the night, cursing me, trying to kill me… that's all just—"

"Daemon didn't resent you. Haegon was killed by Bloodraven. It's all in your head, Aenys…" Daena whispered, tears flowing down her cheeks.

"The Dead don't return to haunt us, no matter how much we dread them… or wish that they'd come back," Aegor said. It was the words of a man who had experienced the same pain. "Your crime towards your brother, towards Daemon, might be more severe than mine… but I can't judge or punish you. I lost that right long ago." He glanced at Calla and Daena.

"Aenys, I told you that night that I would forgive you once you tell me everything," Daena bit her lips, "Now that I know, I… I wish that you would tell me earlier. No," she shook her head strongly, "Even if it wasn't me, you should have talked to someone you trust."

"I did," Aenys said, staring at the ground, "I told Selyse. And she… rejected me, then I tried to shut her up... I… I can't face her anymore."

"So that was what happened," Daena turned her head away from Aenys, frowning, "No wonder she said…"

"She isn't the one I should seek out. She isn't the one who can forgive me," Aenys mumbled, "I know she's right… but I still ran away from telling you the truth until you forced me to. Because I…" he closed his eyes, "I don't believe that anyone can forgive me after hearing what I have done."

"It… won't be easy." Daena's gaze wavered, "But…"

Calla could understand what Daena felt. It should be easy to tell Aenys that he was forgiven and unshackle him from the guilt that had been dragging him down. But the words were heavy and they stuck in her throat. She wanted to forgive… she should forgive.

But when she knew that Aenys directly wielded the blade that tore their brother's chest…

Just as Daena said, it was not easy.

She clenched her teeth. To withhold this forgiveness was the same as telling Aenys to die… and no matter how vile one's sin was, if they truly repent, they should be forgiven…

What kind of empty reasoning is this? This is Aenys telling me that he killed Daemon with his own hands! I can't just put it all behind me!

A voice inside telling Calla to forgive, another stopping her. Aenys said… that after he killed Daemon, half of him— the good part— was lost. Calla thought that there was a good side and a bad side inside her as well. But which voice was good and which was bad?

…Perhaps there was no good or bad side… perhaps it was only one, undivisible heart. And each decision, badly made or not… did not fundamentally change who we were. No matter how broken everyone here was, how many scars they had on their hearts… they were always whole.

Aenys felt that he was broken in half… and if she granted him forgiveness that she did not mean wholeheartedly… that would not relieve him. That would not make him whole.

If Calla could not simply forgive him, then… perhaps there was another way.

Her gaze met Aegor's. Calla had forgiven him for his role in her father's death, his lies… she could not hate him, no matter what circumstances. But there was no doubt that he was a different kind of person from her, she had learned that after Aelor died. If he had not left the decision towards Aenys to them out of guilt, he would not think of forgiving Aenys because of the pain he was in… only for the sake of stability. Keeping House Blackfyre on the throne was always Aegor's priority.

All the love he held for her… could not make him seek the same goal as she did.

…But that was fine. He promised that he would try… and this time, it was not his decision to make.

It was hers and Daena's. And Calla could not think of any reason Daena would disagree with her.

"Aenys, I… can't just tell you that you're forgiven, not now," Calla said.

Both Aegor's and Daena's gazes were full of shock. The two sets of widened eyes on Calla were making her uncomfortable, but what was more painful was Aenys' reaction. He sighed and nodded, accepting Calla's words… the corners of his lips drawn up in a wry smile.

No. This isn't the end. Before any of them said anything, Calla shouted, "But you're not allowed to seek death on the battlefield! I don't want… I don't want to see you crushed to death and then absorbed by the monster! I don't want my little brother to die!" The scene of Donnor dying and leaving nothing behind awoke in her mind. She did not want Aenys to suffer the same fate… never.

Aenys shook, staring at her. Daena nodded, "We're angry with you, Aenys. You have killed Daemon and he can't come back to life. But that doesn't mean we'll allow you to die! You should have told us earlier instead of letting the guilt drive you crazy… It only made everything worse. Your jealousy made you lose your mind on that day… but you don't actually want any of this, do you? We…" tears dropped from her eyes, "are family. Nothing has happened between us that could make us truly wish for the death of each other."

Aenys' lips twisted. Trembling, his eyes welled up once again. "The last few years, I was afraid that Daemon and Haegon would come to me at night to take their revenge… to take back what's rightfully theirs," His cheeks streaming with tears, Aenys whispered, "But now… I'd do anything to take them back."

He broke down in tears, his body falling. Calla caught him, and Daena came to his side as well. Inside their arms, Aenys cried like a baby…

Yes, this is how it should be, Calla thought as she hugged Aenys, there's no king or princess, sinner and innocent in this room. All we have… is family.

Once, the family had nine siblings. Now only three remained. Calla, Daena, and Aenys. They could not let past tragedies repeat again… because they were family.

And true family stayed together, whatever stood in the way.

—

It has been a while! A lot of stuff happened on my side, and my time was mostly occupied by moving and travelling. Really glad to finally finish this chapter.

It's also the last 'regular' pov chapter. The next chapter is the last intermission, then next next chapter is something... special, then the last three chapters are the endings. Hopefully, they will take less time than this one... we'll see!