Author's Note: Omg y'all...I can't wait for you to read this chapter. So much is about to happen, you don't even know. I won't waste anytime now, I just hope y'all enjoy reading~
Thank you all for being patient for these updates!
THE DRAGON & THE ROSE - EPISODE EIGHT/PART TWO
Later That Evening
After a stressful day for them all, Elaena was surprised to hear that Viserys wanted the whole family to attend supper with him. She thought more than anything that he would be too tired after the scene in the throne room, that he would just want to rest. And while she was happy to dine with him, she wasn't quite so content knowing that Alicent and her children would be there as well.
"Help me with the clasp, Daemon?" Elaena asked, pulling her hair off of her neck so that he could fasten the necklace.
He took the thick metal strands into hand, his fingers gently brushing against her skin as he tried to connect them. "There, darling."
"Thank you," Elaena exhaled, turning to look at herself in the mirror. She touched the small pearls on her neck as she examined herself, nervously rubbing her thumb over them.
"Are you alright?" Daemon asked, looking into her eyes through the reflection as he stood behind her.
"I'm fine," she said softly, dropping her hand to meet his own. "I just have a bad feeling about tonight."
"Care to explain why?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her to hold her close. She held her hands over his, feeling comforted by his touch.
"I don't know how to," she started, pinching her lips together as she thought, "I suppose I just don't like the idea of us all being in one room together. I feel like it's a recipe for disaster."
"I hope you're wrong," he muttered, placing a small kiss on her cheek. "It would be nice to have a night of peace, for my brother's sake if nothing else."
"I hope I'm wrong too," she sighed, looking at him through the mirror with a small smile on her face.
"Shall we go then?"
"Sure," she nodded, turning around to take his hand and walk towards the dining room. They walked silently together, not needing words of encouragement to feel supported by the other. The simple act of each other's touch was enough to know that whatever they were walking into, they were doing it together.
Once they walked into the candlelit room, they saw that nearly everyone was already there, all sitting silently. Elaena took her place at the table across from Rhaenyra, looking at her with knowing eyes before turning to take a peak at the rest of the supper guests. All around the table sat Alicent, her brother Gwayne, Aegon, Aemond, Helaena, Jace, Luke, Ameon, Viseryn, Rhaena, Rhaenys, and Baella.
The only person missing was King Viserys.
He was the one person able to unite this group of people, the one person who could force them all to behave around each other. Without him it was only 15 pairs of eyes staring at each other with either hatred or love, no in between.
Elaena remained silent in her seat as one of the servants placed a large platter of roasted vegetables before her, then turned to the side to look at her daughter. Rhaena sat uncomfortably in her seat, looking once to Aegon and then back to her mother. Aegon immediately looked away once Elaena's eyes found him, but they both knew that he hadn't avoided detection.
The mother and daughter exchanged a glance with each other as they held hands under the table, each of them feeling sick from knowing that Aegon was looking at her this way.
But Elaena didn't care if she had to cut down Aegon herself, she didn't care if it ended up with her head on a spike for treason...she wouldn't allow a single one of his fingers to touch Rhaena, not for anything.
When the doors slowly opened, showing Viserys being carried in on his chair, everyone stood from their seats. The exhale of relief in the room was visceral, everyone glad that he was there to mediate the opposing parties.
"How good it is...to see you all tonight, together," Viserys said slowly, looking to his daughter then across from him to Rhaena. The two smiled at each other, their bond visible to all those around.
"Prayer before we begin?" Alicent said, leaning towards Viserys to draw his attention back to her.
"Yes," Viserys nodded, closing his eyes.
"May the Mother smile down on this gathering with love. May the Smith mend the bonds that have been broken for far too long," Alicent said, her hands clasped tightly together. "And to Vaemond Velaryon, may the gods give him rest."
Elaena could feel Daemon's smirk as they heard the end of this prayer, so she grabbed his hand as she suppressed her own smile, telling him to behave.
There was a small moment of silence, then they all looked to Viserys who continued speaking. "This is an occasion for celebration it seems. My grandson will marry his cousin Baella, and one day ascend the Driftwood Throne...further strengthening the bond between our houses. A toast to the young prince, and his betrothed."
"To Luke and Baella," Rhaenyra nodded, looking to her son with a smile as she lifted her cup.
Everyone raised their goblets in the air, taking a slow and quiet drink as a toast.
"There is another reason to celebrate tonight, father," Rhaenyra said once they had all drunk from their cups. "Because of their loyal service and love for our family, and since they have no lands or titles of their own, I recently named Daemon and Elaena as Prince and Princess of Dragonstone. A title that their children, and their children's children will hold for the rest of time, should you permit it."
"What a wonderful decision you've made, daughter," Viserys said with a smile, nodding in approval before turning to Daemon and Elaena. "One I most heartily approve of."
"I always thought the title of Prince or Princess of Dragonstone was left for the heirs to the throne," Alicent said slowly, her eyes narrowed on Rhaenyra.
"Yes, but it's a preformative title," Rhaenyra explained, a bitter smile on her face. Of course the only one to oppose this news would have been Alicent. "My hopes in giving Dragonstone to my dear uncle and cousin is to make it so that their family has a home of their own. It gives the title meaning, to our dear family that means so much to us."
"Yes," Viserys nodded in agreement, "I'm glad that my brother and his family will hold this title, that their children will in the years to follow them. They deserve it."
"Then let us toast to Prince Daemon and Princess Elaena, rulers of Dragonstone," Rhaenyra smiled, lifting her cup into the air. Everyone drank, but no one except for the blacks and Viserys seemed pleased at this news.
It was hard to tell who Alicent was more angry at in this moment, Rhaenyra or her husband. But it mattered not, for she directed her feelings towards Elaena, her eyes staring daggers into the woman as she drank her wine.
Viserys then stood, leaning onto the table as he straightened his posture. Everyone waited for him to catch his breath, watching him with concerned eyes. While they all disagreed on most things, everyone sitting at the table cared for Viserys, they worried for him.
"It both gladdens my heart... and fills me with sorrow to see these faces around the table... The faces most dear to me in all the world...yet grown so distant from each other in the years past," Viserys said slowly. He then paused, ripping the golden mask that covered half of his face off. It clanged loudly on the table, revealing the damage and decay.
Elaena did her best not to flinch at the sight of him, but couldn't help herself from looking down with tears in her eyes after seeing him uncloaked.
"My own face is no longer a handsome one...if indeed it ever was," Viserys said, looking at each and every person sitting around him. Elaena pulled her head back up, looking at him through her tears as he continued his speech. "But tonight I wish you to see me as I am... Not just a King...but your father, your brother, your husband, and your grandsire... who may not it seems walk for much longer among you... Let us no longer hold ill feelings in our hearts... The crown cannot remain strong if the House of the Dragon remains divided...So set aside your grievances with each other...if not for the sake the crown, then for the sake of this old man who loves you all so dearly."
Rhaena stood up once he was finished, lifting her cup high as she looked at Viseryrs with unwavering eyes. She did not seem fazed in the slightest by the haunting image that his face now took. Everyone looked to the girl of only 14, a bit shocked that it was her who was brave enough to be the first to break the silence.
"If it please you, grandsire, I would like to make a toast," Rhaena said slowly, turning to look at everyone around the table as she took a moment to choose her next words. "I know that everyone here struggles to let go of the pain of the past...to let go of the resentment we feel for one another. But I hope that in the days following this one we can remember that despite this fact, we are still family. So I raise my cup to all of you, but especially to my King. For he is the one that binds us all together."
"Here, here," Daemon nodded, the first to lift his cup after hearing his daughter's words. Rhaena gave a small smile before drinking from her cup, then sat down in her chair across from Viserys.
He gave her a weak smile and nod of approval, thanking her for her kind words, for it seemed to be the push everyone needed to continue the act of peace-making. Elaena gave her daughter's hand a small squeeze, proud that she had the courage to say what she did.
And yet despite this pride, she certainly didn't fully agree with the child's sentiments. Elaena didn't know if she would ever be able to let go of her pain and hatred for the Hightowers, not for anything. It was the very existence of their House that robbed her of her parents, then her first daughter, and ultimately the feeling of her family's safety at court. For the sake of Viserys, and for the sake of her children, Elaena would put on a smile tonight and play her part as loving cousin. But she wasn't blind enough to walk away from tonight thinking that somehow all the old wounds had been mended. One night of peace was not enough to make her forget that despite them being her family, they were her greatest enemies.
Rhaenyra stood now, following her neice's toast with one of her own. "In the name of making peace with each other, I wish to raise my cup to Her Grace, the Queen. She has tended to my father in his time of need with care and honor. For that she has my gratitude."
"Your graciousness moves me deeply, Princess," Alicent responded to Rhaenyra, then turned to Elaena. Despite the bitter tone in her throat, everyone could tell she was trying her best to be cordial. "As did your daughter's toast, Princess Elaena, you've raised her well."
"Thank you, Your Grace," Elaena said quietly.
"A toast, to the health and happiness of the two Princesses and their families," Alicent said quietly, lifting her cup. As everyone drank to this sentiment in silence, Elaena looked at Viserys.
He seemed so relieved, so happy to see all of his family seemingly getting along so well. But everyone else knew that the tensions still existed between them all. Perhaps he was too blinded by physical pain to see that.
Aegon then stood from his seat and walked to grab the wine pitcher in front of Rhaena, leaning down in her ear to say something only loud enough for her to hear. Elaena tried to listen as closely as possible, but she didn't need to hear the boy's words to see that whatever it was made her daughter uncomfortable.
Before she could say anything in Rhaena's defense to save her, the girl's brother stood abruptly, lifting his cup with an agitated look on his face.
"I'd like to make a toast as well... once we're all seated that is," Viseryn said coldly, staring directly at Aegon to force him to get away from his sister and sit down.
Aegon smiled smugly, then set down the pitcher of wine. Rhaena sat up a little straighter in her chair once Aegon had left, no longer feeling the need to shrink back and away from him. Viseryn cleared his throat once Aegon was seated, then forced a smile.
"To Prince Aegon and Prince Aemond," Viseryn started, looking to the youngest of the Hightowers. Aemond stared back with a smirk, looking intrigued by what his cousin might have to say. "It has been many years since we last met, but I do have some fond memories of our shared youth. As men and as Princes, I hope we can lead the generations of Targaryens to follow us as allies."
"Indeed," Aemond agreed, his lips pursing together as he nodded. "To being allies."
"Well this kind toast gives me the most splendid idea," Aegon said, the smallest of smiles pulling up on the corners of his mouth. "An idea that would solidify this friendship and alliance within our house."
"What might that be?" Alicent asked, narrowing her eyes at her son in fear of what he might say. If Elaena wasn't mistaken, it seemed as if she was afraid of her own son.
"If it meant strengthening the Targaryen name I would gladly do this myself, alas my own hand is already bound in matrimony," Aegon started, looking at Rhaena with greedy eyes.
"Do what?" Viserys panted, not comprehending what everyone else so clearly understood. Rhaena froze in her seat with fear, as did Elaena.
"I propose a marriage between the lovely Princess Rhaena and my brother, as a way to celebrate the unification of the Targaryen name as we have talked so earnestly about tonight," Aegon continued, sitting back in his seat with a triumphant smile. Everyone knew that the only reason why he would suggest this was so that Rhaena would remain near him, so that he could have her too whenever he pleased.
"No," Daemon said flatly, staring at Aegon like he wanted to kill him. The table sat in painful silence, everyone around trying to gauge each other's reactions to both the proposal as well as Daemon's quick response.
"What my husband to say is that while your suggestion is kind, dear nephew, matters such as these should be left to the parents of those being engaged," Elaena said quickly, feeling her ears burn with anger. She would rather die than let her daughter be married off to one of Alicent's children, but she couldn't say this so blatantly in front of everyone.
"Well as Aemond's mother, and the Queen, I think they would make a handsome match," Alicent said, turning to Viserys now. "What do you think, husband?"
Before Viserys could respond, Rhaenyra cleared her throat, interjecting to try and save this situation. "They would, but it won't be possible. Princess Rhaena is already engaged to my son Jace."
Elaena could feel her daughter's whole body freeze in shock next to her. Not two weeks ago had it been made clear that Rhaena wouldn't have to marry anytime soon, and now she was finding out she was already engaged.
"Why didn't you say anything earlier about this?" Alicent asked, narrowing her brows at Rhaenyra. She then turned to Elaena, trying to measure if what she was hearing was the truth or not.
"We didn't want to say anything yet since tonight was meant to celebrate Luke and Baella's engagement," Elaena responded, looking to Daemon for him to back her up with this lie. But he only sat with white knuckles and a fierce hatred behind his eyes. It didn't take words to know that he felt the exact same way as her. They weren't going to lose their daughter to the Hightowers, not ever.
"Even so, Rhaena is a princess," Alicent explained, looking to the young girl with pinched lips. "With that comes duties and responsabilities as you might remember, Elaena. Her marriage must make political sense, it must further advance the crown."
"How would my daughter marrying your son advance the crown's interests more than if she were to marry Prince Jace?"
"Rhaenyra's family and yours are already close. And as we all well know your family and mine have been divided for decades," Alicent said sharply, leaning forward in her seat to speak to him. "This might be the way to avoid further infighting, to unite us once and for all."
"I don't care," Elaena shook her head, "My daughter will not have her hand forced by anyone for a political agenda-"
"Is it such a horrible thought to have Rhaena marry my son?"
"Yes, it is," Daemon spat.
"What you think of it doesn't matter, though, does it?" Alicent exhaled through her nose, turning to Viserys again. "All that matters is what you want, my King. What do you think of these different proposals?"
"I think I want to know what Rhaena thinks of all of this," Viserys said slowly, looking at the girl's tear-stricken face. He looked as if he would rather be talking about anything else other than this, as if all he wanted was to make peace and be done with this conversation. "I made the mistake many years ago trying to force both my daughter and Elaena into marriages they didn't want for the sake of the crown. It took me too long to see that so long as they were happy, that was all that mattered. So, my dear Rhaena, which proposal would you prefer?"
Rhaena sat silently in her seat, looking to her mother and father and then back to the King. "I don't want any of it. I don't want to ever marry."
"Like mother like daughter," Alicent mumbled under her breath, raising her hands to her forehead with frustration. She then turned to her husband again, pleading him to side with her. "My King, I know you do not wish to have any more strife in this family, but this whole conversation has been an insult to our children, Aemond in particular."
"You don't have to defend me mother," Aemond finally spoke, his eye finding Rhaena now. "I would not dream of forcing myself where I'm not wanted."
The two exchanged a funny look between each other. While both of them hated each other, they hated this conversation even more. Neither one of them wanted to marry each other.
Alicent didn't care about their wishes though.
"But all of this is about the principle!" Alicent shook her head, looking to see if anyone else supported her. "How is it that both Rhaenyra and Elaena escape any sense of duty in their lives and now pass this same mentality on to this girl as well? When will there be accountability?"
"We're going to go here, again?" Rhaenyra asked, laughing dryly. "After what happened last time you tried to make this point?"
"I must make the point again since there has never been any change! And now these traits are being instilled in her!" Alicent shouted. She then turned to Rhaena, targeting her anger towards her. "A marriage with my son is something to thank the gods for, a blessing that every other girl in the Seven Kingdoms wishes they could be granted-"
"Do not raise your voice at my daughter," Elaena said angrily, standing from her seat.
"My mother is the Queen, you shouldn't raise yours at her," Aegon retorted. "We ought to take your tongue."
"Threaten my mother again and we'll see if I can collect an eye from you as well," Viseryn shouted.
All of a sudden everyone was shouting over each other, the long-standing divides between everyone growing thicker as they argued. But it was not as it was last time where Viserys could try to break it up, he was too weak. Each plea he made for them to stop went unheard and unnoticed. The only ones not participating in any of it was Rhaena and Aemond.
She sat in her chair watching the chaos around her, then looked forward to Viserys with tears in her eyes. So upset by this display from his family, Viserys was clutching his chest, looking as if it were hard to breathe. Upon seeing this she leaned across the table, feeling fear in her heart, "Grandsire?"
Aemond immediately banged his hand fiercely on the table as he saw this, knocking over cups of wine and causing all the silverware to clatter loudly. Shocked by this event, everyone stopped, looking at him with wide eyes. When they all saw that he was staring at the Rhaena, who was staring at the King, they turned their eyes to him.
"Father," Rhaenyra said breathlessly, sitting down at his side to hold his hand. "Someone get the maester!"
"No," he said haggardly, shaking his head. "I am not leaving...until we settle this...so everyone...sit."
Everyone slowly sat back in their seats, exchanging hateful glances with each other before turning to listen to their patriarch. He sat up a little in his chair, a look of disgust on his face.
"What will it take...for each of you...to create a resolution?"
"The Princess Rhaena must marry," Alicent said sharply, looking at Elaena with bitter eyes. "I refuse to allow her to shirk her duties as a princess, as a woman."
"She will not be marrying your son," Daemon said angrily, shaking his head. "That is what we refuse."
"Then she will be married...to someone of her choosing," Viserys panted, looking completely exhausted. "This is our resolution."
"And what of Rhaena's wishes, cousin?" Elaena asked, taking her daughter's hand into her own protectively. "You said yourself that you would not make the mistake of forcing her to marry like you did with me and Rhaenyra."
"And you all said... you'd end this incessant infighting..." Viserys said deliriously, the pain overwhelming him almost completely now. "We all must make sacrifices... we must compromise..."
"All to her expense?" Elaena asked, feeling tears well in her eyes as she looked to her daughter. "Is there no better option, one where she gets something in return?"
"What she gets...is to choose her match...freely," Viserys said, avoiding both Elaena and Rhaena's eyes. He didn't want to let either of them down this way, but what he didn't want even more than that was to see everyone keep fighting. This felt like the only way for him to try and pick up the pieces of their shattered family yet again.
"Then I choose Jace," Rhaena said with a trembling lip, looking down at the table.
"My darling you don't have to choose right now-" Elaena said quickly, shaking her head.
"If I'm forced to marry at all, then I want it to be clear who my choice is now before that too is taken away from me. Besides, I don't need time to think about it," Rhaena said, her voice cracking as she looked to Jace. "If I have to marry I want it to be to a friend, someone who I trust."
"I'd consider myself lucky to have you as my wife," Jace nodded, giving her the smallest of smiles. While he truly meant this, everyone could see that he too felt cheated in some way. This was no one's first choice scenario, but it was the one they were all landed with.
"There you have it..." Viserys exhaled with relief, "It's settled...now take me to my chambers...I'm tired."
Everyone sat silently as the King was carried away, each person stewing in their anger. If Aegon hadn't brought up this proposal, if he hadn't thought solely of himself in wanting Rhaena, none of this would have happened. It could have been a conversation that remained avoided for at least a few more years. But because of him Rhaena's future had been ripped to shreds by the Hightowers like a piece of meat circled by hounds.
Aemond stood in his seat, lifting his cup into the air slowly as he looked to Rhaena. For a moment it looked as if he was jealous, but the look was too fleeting to be confirmed, quickly replaced by a smirk. "A toast then, to Princess Rhaena and Prince Jace, who will one day become our King and Queen. I have no doubt you will make a fine pairing...a lovely girl, and a Strong boy."
"I dare you to say that again," Jace said angrily, standing up in his seat to face his uncle.
"Why? T'was only a compliment," Aemond said, walking towards Jace with a raised brow. "Do you not think yourself Strong?"
Jace wound his arm back, then his fist landed harshly across Aemond's face. All of the tension at the table was being released now that Viserys was gone, coming out via the quick tempers of the children. Aemond drew his own fist and struck back, causing Rhaena jump from her seat.
"Jace!" Rhaena shouted, her eyes wide as she saw this. When the blow hit him she walked forwards to try and break it up, only to feel Aegon snake his arms around her around the waist to pull her back.
"Don't fucking touch my daughter," Daemon immediately stood, grabbing Aegon's wrist and bending it so far back behind him that the young man yelped in pain.
"Guards!" Alicent shouted, her authority outranking everyone in this room now that Viserys was gone. The guards broke up the fighting all around, pushing everyone away from each other.
"Go to your quarters, all of you, now!" Rhaenyra said to all the children sternly. They all gave each other hateful looks, then walked out of the room to split ways.
Elaena looked at her daughter who was now crying uncontrollably, completely overwhelmed by the night's events. When Rhaena walked away, Elaena immediately followed after her, not wanting to let her out of her sight after all that happened.
"Elaena wait, us adults need to talk-" Alicent commanaded, her voice firm.
"Talk about what?" Elaena asked, turning around with a look of disgust. "About how your family has managed to hurt mine and Rhaenyra's yet again? I have more important things to do with my time than talk about that, checking on my daughter who's life just got turned upside down is one of them."
Alicent didn't respond, allowing Elaena and Daemon to leave to follow after Rhaena. They practically chased the girl up the stairs to their chambers, trying to catch up with her and her brothers. Once they got inside their quarters, Rhaena ran into her room and slammed the door behind her, latching it shut so that no one could get in.
"Rhaena-" Elaena cried, her voice cracking as she pleaded on the other side of the door. But Daemon reached forward to take her hand, stopping her from trying to barge in.
"Let her have some time alone," Daemon said softly.
"But-"
"Trust me," he interrupted, shaking his head as he spoke, "It won't do you any favors to force her to talk to you right now. She needs to process what just happened."
"How could we have let this happen to her?" Elaena asked, feeling her stomach twist inside of her with guilt. "How is it that it is our child that walks out of tonight with the most damage done yet again? Are we not doing enough to protect them-"
"It wasn't our faults, it was Alicent's, and her cunt of a son Aegon," Daemon replied, bringing her face into his hands so that she might see reason. "It wasn't your fault."
"I was angry at Lynara and Viserys for years for trying to have me married," Elaena muttered, "She's never going to forgive me."
"She will," Daemon assured her, wrapping his arms tight around his wife. He held her in his arms, trying to soothe her the only way he knew how. "She understands why we agreed to the compromise. It was to protect her."
"I saw how he looked at her...Aegon," Elaena muttered, her eyes burning as she remembered. "I've seen it for days now. Being engaged to Jace won't protect her from him, he's not going to let her get away from him so easily, not until he gets what he wants."
"I'd like to see him try," Daemon said angrily, pulling away to look at Elaena. "I'll kill him myself if he tries to touch her. It took everything in me not to do it tonight when he grabbed her."
"I know," Elaena agreed, "But since doing so now would no doubt end with our heads on spikes, I'm glad you didn't. I'm sorry, but until your brother is no longer with us, we have to be smart. Once he's gone, this war really begins, and we need to be ready."
Author's Note: Hey everyone! I hope you enjoyed the chapter, as it will be the last one before the ninth episode. So you all get an idea of how things are going to work from here on out.
For each the ninth and tenth episode of the show (the last ones! eek!), I will have 2-3 chapters written and published. But when the show ends, I intend to keep writing until the end of the story with the help of book events & my own spin on how I want Elaena's story to play out. Obviously her and her family being added to the mix is going to shake up how the Dance of Dragons happens...
I am also dabbling with the idea of having a second story from Rhaena's POV...or perhaps just some chapters within this one with her POV added in... and right now I'm thinking of a particularly handsome one-eyed man to play a role in her life...would you guys be interested in reading that?
Again, I hope you enjoyed reading and as always would love to know what y'all think. Until next time! -J❤️