Author's Note: So sorry it took so long to get another short chapter out y'all, I am currently on the hunt for a new job and have been interviewing all week! So I've been both busy and exhausted and wanted to make sure what I wrote wasn't rushed or sloppy.
Because I don't want to leave you all hanging without anything, here is another short chapter continuing where we left off to satiate y'all... Happy reading! ❤️
THE DRAGON & THE ROSE - EPISODE TEN/PART TWO
Elaena watched as the servants slid the long tray of candles underneath the large stone map of Westeros, and as the warm glow radiated through the cracks she knew that it was finally time for war. It had a fuse burning for two long decades now, and everyone knew that it was about to blow. This meeting of the Black Council would be the first of many in the days to come, and it would be paramount in deciding how to move forward in this war.
"Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen, first of her name. Queen of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men. Lady of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm," Ser Harwin announced to the rest of the room, to which everyone stood up straighter.
Elaena's head turned from the table she stood at to watch as Rhaenyra entered. As she did this she couldn't help but feel the corners of her mouth lift into a small smile at the sight of her, for she looked like a true Queen, not just in body but in spirit. She walked with grace and power that demanded your attention, and the large gold crown that once belonged to her father sitting on her head certainly didn't hurt that aura she brought with her to this council chamber.
"Your Grace," Elaena said first, bowing her head as Rhaenyra approached the head of the table. The rest of the room followed suit, giving their sign of allegiance and respect before anything else continued.
Elaena's children stood on either side of her and Daemon; Baella stood alongside Rhaenys, Jace, and Luke; and then finally a whole slew of advisors and other important Lords. Anyone of any importance to the Queen all stood around the table, waiting for her to be the first to speak before they dove into the list of matters to be discussed today, for all of them were prepared to do their part in this war should their Queen ask it of them, even the children.
"What is our standing?" Rhaenyra finally asked, looking at Daemon first as it was he who was in charge of the men of Dragonstone.
"We have 30 knights, 100 cross-bow men, and 300 men at arms," Daemon began, not wasting any time in his response by surrounding it in pleasantries. He knew war better than anyone at this table, he was to be the most trusted when discussing it. "Dragonstone is relatively easy to defend but as an instrument of conquest our army leaves a lot to be desired. I've sent word to my loyal men in the City Watch, I'll have some support there but I cannot speak to numbers."
"We have also received declarations from Celtigar and Staunton, Massey, Darklyn, and Beesbury," the maester added.
"My lady mother was an Arryn," Rhaenyra responded, "The Vale will not turn cloak against their own kin."
"And my mother was a Tyrell," Elaena nodded, "I can assure you that we will have not only their support, but the support of the entire Reach, Your Grace."
There was a short pause of silence as Rhaenyra waited for anyone else to provide information on other houses that would be assuredly on her side, but no one spoke. This seemed to be all they have, and it wasn't enough.
"We need more support than that we have at present," Rhaenyra said bluntly, "What of our enemies, is there anyone we know we won't be able to count on?"
"The North will be difficult to gather support in," Elaena said slowly, feeling rightfully at fault for this. "After I killed Cregan Stark's sister Lady Lynara, and after your father King Viserys pardoned me for it, they will not be likely want to support you. But the North is also known for keeping the oaths it makes. Other great houses might be willing to fight for you still as they swore to when you were named heir."
"We also have no friends amongst the Lannisters," Daemon continued, "After Tyland's death his twin brother Jason replaced him on the small council as Master of Coin. As Warden of the West most of the houses surrounding him will likely follow, not to mention the Hightowers influence there will make them hard to sway."
"Then we are not like to find any allies west of the Golden Tooth," Rhaenyra said with a small sigh through her nose.
"No," Daemon said seriosuly, "This is what makes the support in the Riverlands crucial. Without them the west will have unblocked access to King's Landing."
"Forgive me Your Grace, but I must ask," Jace spoke up, looking to his mother with frustration in his face, "Why are we speaking of gathering the support of houses when we have dragons in our arsenal? We outnumber the Greens twelve to one if you include Seasmoke, if we can find him a rider-"
"None of our dragons have been to war, Jace," Elaena said to him, shaking her head, "As well as that most of our dragons here are still too young and too small, they'd be no match going against Vhagar, the largest dragon since Balerion the Dread who is also quite seasoned in battle."
"Princess Elaena is right," Rhaenyra agreed, shutting this idea down quickly. While she didn't want her son to feel like his voice didn't matter, decisions such as these were better left in the hands of the adults. "We have to be prepared on all fronts for the war to come, we cannot rely solely on our dragons to win it. We need the great houses and small houses alike to rally their banners behind us."
"And we need a place for those bannermen to gather," Daemon continued, "A toehold large enough to hold a sizeable host. I suggest Harrenhal. It'll be there that we can cut off the West and have King's Landing surrounded."
"Yes but they'll only be surrounded if we have the support of allies in the North, the Riverlands, the Vale, the Reach, and the Crownlands," Elaena shook her head, looking to her husband with lips pressed tightly together. "If we don't have support in all of these areas Harrenhal will be penetrable."
"Then we need to make fast allies of them," Rhaenyra nodded, "We need their fealty to my claim before we can go any further."
"I'll have ravens sent to every notable house by the end of the night," the maester said in return.
"Dragons fly faster than ravens, and they're more convincing." Jace said, leaning forward onto the table. While his first suggestion had not been successful, he was still determined to have a place at this table as the heir to throne after his mother. " Send us to be your envoys, all of us."
Jace then looked to his brother and cousins, all of whom seemed more than willing to do their part. This whole council meeting they hadn't been qualified to do or say anything else, for their parents held all the wisdom when it came to war and politics, but this was something they could do.
Though they knew that the children wanted to do their part in support of their family, Elaena and Daemon were wary of sending them off to fly across Westeros. The world was more tense and dangerous than it had ever been, and though they weren't little children anymore certainly none of them were adults with experience in treating with potential allies or enemies. Elaena looked at Rhaenyra, expecting her to feel the same way, only to see she didn't.
"Very well," Rhaenyra said with a short nod, "Prince Jacaerys will fly North to gather the support."
"Might I suggest that Ser Cley go with him, Your Grace?" Elaena asked, "He is a Karstark himself, he might be able to help Prince Jacaerys reason with the northerners."
Elaena then looked across the room to where Cley stood, non-verbally making sure that he was alright with this. He gave her a nod of support for this suggestion, his eyes telling her that he would do his best to try and convince his fellow northernmen to join the right side. And while he wouldn't alongside any of her children to protect them, Elaena was glad that neither her sons or daughter would be sent north. It would be too dangerous for them to be near Cregan Stark or anyone else still carrying vengeance in their hearts for what she did to Lynara. As well as that Jace and Cley together would have a better shot at convincing them to join the Blacks if her children weren't there.
"A fine idea," Rhaenyra nodded, then turned to look at Elaena's sons. "Prince Aemon and Viseryn will go through the Riverlands, along with Ser Harwin. Like Ser Cley he might be able to curry favor with the rivermen."
"As you wish, Your Grace," Harwin bowed, his eyes glistening with a smile as he looked to Rhaenyra. He then turned to Cley, the two of them exchanging a knowing look. While each of the men likely would have rathered accompany the boys they swore allegiance of their protection to, they trusted each other with the task. They would both do their best to see that they all returned home safely while being able to get as many supporters for the Queen as possible.
"And then Lucerys and Rhaena will go to the Eyrie to treat with my cousin Lady Jeyne Arryn, and then to Storm's End to with Borros Baratheon," Rhaenyra continued. "They are the most likely hosts to be welcoming towards you two. I suspect you will be back before nightfall tonight with their pledges of fealty."
Rhaena nodded in approval at the post she was being sent to, her parents only exchanging a small glance of worry with each other. They were glad that their daughter was being sent to these locations where she was likely safest, but even then they didn't want her to do this, for they didn't entirely trust her judgement after the whole incident of her flying to King's Landing on her own. But this was not a matter up for discussion or debate, this was an order from their queen that they had sworn to follow. So all they could do was trust that everything would be fine and she would return to them.
"Finally I would ask Daemon and Elaena to go to Highgarden to confirm support from the Tyrells and other houses of The Reach," Rhaenyra concluded, "Their support in terms of men, grain, and coin will be even more paramount than their word to follow me as a great house. I ask you that you bring Lord Maesen back to Dragonstone with you so that we can continue to discuss such agreements for these supplies with him."
"Of course, Your Grace," Elaena nodded.
"I have something to add, Your Grace," Rhaenys then said, "Just before my husband Lord Corlys passed, he informed me that he had retaken the Stepstones once again. His armies are still stationed there, they will prevent support from Essos coming to Westeros. To solidify our stance I would ask you to send Baella and myself to guard the gullet. Doing that could compeltely block off any shipments to King's Landing via Blackwater Bay."
Rhaenyra nodded in approval of this, then turned to face everyone. "We must remind the Lords and Ladies of the realm of the oaths they swore, and the cost of breaking them. We must remind them that I am the rightful ruler of the Seven Kingdoms, that Aegon is a false King and the rest of the Greens are nothing but traitors."
"If we wish to do this, Your Grace, would it not be more prudent to put the engagements of the young Princes to the side?" the maester asked, raising his brows as he looked to all the children. "If Prince Jacaerys and Prince Lucerys are to marry their cousins Princess Rhaena and Lady Baella, then we cut off the potential for allies and allow for more houses to defect to the enemy. We could use all four of their hands in marriage as a way to strengthen bonds with other houses that we need on our side to win this war."
"I fullheartedly agree," one of the other Lords next to him nodded, "For example, Lady Baella could be used to solidify our alliance by marrying one of the Tyrell boys. Lord Maeson has many sons-"
"My grand-daughter is betrothed to Prince Lucerys so that she might also keep her claim to Driftmark," Rhaenys said defensively, "The salt of the sea runs through her veins, this is her place."
"As well as that," Elaena shook her head, "We don't need a marriage proposal to get the Tyrells to stay on our side. They are as much my family as the Targaryens are, they would never betray me or their rightful Queen."
"Then perhaps rather than marry your daughter, Your Grace, Prince Jacaerys could marry one of Borros Baratheon's daughters, Lady Jocelyn perhaps," the man continued, not giving up on his point, "Princess Rhaena could marry Cregan Stark to mend the break between your house and his-"
"I will not have my only daughter sent to the wolves' den after what happened between my wife and Lady Lynara," Daemon said sharply, staring daggers into the man's eyes. "She would be just as much a hostage if she were to marry Cregan Stark as should we be marrying Aegon's brother Aemond."
There was a tension filled silence once he said this, everyone waiting for their Queen to settle matters. For as much as they could each stress their own points back and forth the only opinon that mattered was Rhaenyra's. When it was clear that she hadn't come to a conclusion, Elaena put her word in.
"If my say means anything in this," Elaena said slowly, looking to Rhaenyra to plead her to side with them, "I think a marriage between Jace and my daughter would be the best way to solidify the power of our house. And a marriage between Baella and Luke would do the same. If we want to win this war we need to be a formidable force to be reckoned with, a united family in every way. Marriage offers might sway a few houses to join us, yes, but do we really want houses that would only follow you because of an offer like that, Your Grace? Would it not be better to have complete fealty and trust in our allies that they will follow you regardless of what they get in return for it?"
Rhaenyra stood quietly, weighing all of the opinions before speaking. "The Princess Elaena is right. If it takes bribary for a house to follow me, I know in my heart that they don't truly support me. They can't be trusted not to turn on me should the Greens make a more enticing offer to them. They will bow to me and my family as we are."
The maester and most of the other Lords each nodded once in compliance to their Queen's statement, but one did not seem to want to agree to this conclusion of the matter. "Then perhaps her Grace should be open to remarrying again herself."
Every eye in the room turned to the man, shocked that this proposal had been made. Not only was it speaking in turn to the Queen's very final decision, but it was a matter that he had no business discussing. Despite knowing this he slowly continued, treading carefully as he spoke.
"Not only would having a King consort completely strengthen a houses' fealty to your cause, but having a man at your side, a man at the head of the realm would also encourage more people to fight for you, Your Grace," he said cautiously. "I know in my bones that you are the rightful heir to the Seven Kingdoms, our rightful Queen. But many in Westeros do not believe a woman can sit the Iron Throne herself, it is the reason why Princess Rhaenys was set aside for your father, King Viserys. A husband would help erase wariness on the peoples' part of it."
"People will bend the knee to me as their rightful Queen, or they will die by fire and blood," Rhaenyra said through gritted teeth, letting it be known that the mere idea of marrying again was completely off the table. "I will not marry ever again, I will not concede my own power to a man, and I will not hear of this matter being discussed ever again. The only marriages to be discussed within my family are those of my sons. Am I understood?"
"Yes, Your Grace," the man said weakly, looking down at the floor like whipped dog.
"Now," Rhaenyra said, exhaling through her nose as she turned to the rest of the table. "There is one final matter that I wish to discuss before I send all the envoys to carry their messages. This is the matter of my council, and everyone's roles in it."
Elaena noticed that nearly everyone in the room seemed to stand up straighter, hoping to be considered for an honorary position by the Queen's side. The only person who didn't was the man who just suggested she marry, for he knew that after this he would not be named.
"First I would name my uncle Daemon Targaryen as my Master of War," Rhaenyra started, "He has the most experience out of everyone in this room with his time in the Stepstones. He has a mind for battle, and a mind for how our enemies think when it comes to it."
"I am honored, Your Grace," Daemon nodded, to which Elaena gave him a small squeeze of the hand. While most of his ambition when it came to power had died down after marrying her and having children, she knew that he had always craved a seat of importance in the realm. He had always wanted to be valued by those he loved, and revered by those he didn't. A position as Master of War would be the perfect way for him to do that.
"Secondly I would name Ser Harwin Strong as the Lord Commander of the Queen's Guard," Rhaenyra continued, suppressing her small smile as she turned to him. "He has been a most loyal protector of mine throughout the years, I trust no one with my safety and the safety of my sons and heirs more than I do him."
Elaena couldn't help but smile a little at this as she watched Harwin bow to her. For while rumor and gossip had long surrounded him and their Queen, she knew that his presence at her side was more helpful than damaging. Not only was he a skilled knight capable of protecting her, he also provided Rhaenyra with a sense of emotional protection. He was the one person Elaena knew Rhaenyra could turn to that was completely devoted and loyal aside from herself.
"I would now name my aunt, Princess Rhaenys, as Mistress of Ships. I know that she has learned much from her husband before his untimely passing, and I know that she will command the Velaryon Fleet well in both his name and mine," Rhaenyra nodded, she then looked to Elaena, her face serious but eyes warm. "Lastly I would name my closest confident Princess Elaena to be the Hand of the Queen."
Elaena's mouth fell open a little, not expecting her to have said this at all. While she was certainly closest to Rhaenyra out of anyone else was, she didn't think that would make her qualified enough to be her Hand. "Your Grace, you honor me, but I do not know if I am the wisest choice to make for such an appointment-"
"Not only do I trust your council more than anyone else's, you are well seasoned in politics whether you know it or not. You've spent nearly your whole life either in King's Landing or on Dragonstone, which means you know nearly every Lord and Lady of any importance. Not only do you know our allies well, you know our enemies better than most...the Lannisters, the Starks, and the Hightowers. You know how they think, and how we should act in return. I trust that you'll be able to help guide me in the war to come and in the years after to serve the entire realm."
"My wife will gladly take place by your side, Your Grace," Daemon said quickly, looking at Elaena with a nod to encourage her to take the position.
"If it is what you wish of me, I will faithfully serve you best I can, Your Grace," Elaena finally accepted, nodding once. Rhaenyra then walked over to her from across the table, pulling out a small pin with the sigil of the Hand of the Queen on it.
Rhaenyra slowly fastened it to Elaena's chest, then looked to her. Elaena felt her heart swell with emotion as she did this, thinking only of the day before when it had been herself placing the crown on Rhaenyra's head. Once she was finished, Rhaenyra gave Elaena a small smile and spoke quietly so that only she could hear. "Trust yourself, sister. I know I do."
Elaena stood still as Rhaenyra walked back to her place at the other end of the table, then gently placed her fingers on the cool metal of the pin before looking to the others in the room. Her entire family seemed to whole-heartedly approve of this decision, all of them looking at her with proud eyes and smiles. But the other lords in the room who had been fighting Elaena's council this whole meeting looked at her with disdain.
They had been hoping to be named the Queen's Hand, not her. And Elaena knew that a large part of their disdain was because she was a woman being named Hand. This made Elaena immediately worry about support, for while she felt that it was long overdue for women to have as much power as men, the reality of it all was that it was a man's world. Such a bold notion as to have the entire cause of the Blacks be spearheaded by two women would cause unrest no matter how qualified or deserving either of them were of their positions.
Elaena wished that Rhaenyra had asked this of her in private before announcing it before anyone, that she had been given the chance to decline this proposal and suggest someone like her uncle Maeson Tyrell to the position. But Rhaenyra hadn't given her this chance, and it was too late to back down from it. For if she had declined it or were to step down from being Hand in the future, it would only make Rhaenyra's claim seem vulnerable or weak. From here they had to be united in all decisions no matter what they were, no matter what the long term effects might bring them.
The Next Morning
After the small council meeting had concluded, everyone left to get a full night's sleep before they would all disperse to deliver their messages. They had no time to waste in gathering the support of the houses, for every move they made from there would be dependent on knowing where each house of the Seven Kingdoms stood in this war. After a quick morning together Elaena and Daemon went with their children to the dragon pit to send them off before leaving for Highgarden themselves. Elaena felt wary in sending her children away, especially Rhaena, but knew that she had no choice but to do so.
"Promise me you will all be careful," Elaena said softly, brushing a piece of hair behind her daughter's cheek before turning to look at her boys.
"We will be," Viseryn nodded.
"You'll deliver Rhaenyra's terms and then immediately come back home, yes?" Daemon asked, looking at them all with stern eyes so as to make sure they understood that this was not a request but a command.
"Yes, father," Aemon nodded, holding up one of the scrolls he had been given, "We'll deliver these to all the great houses of the riverlands and then come straight home."
"You are to be only messengers, not warriors," Elaena said more firmly, looking to Viseryn and Rhaena now. Aemon had always had a more diplomatic mind about him, but her younger two children seemed to have inherited their parent's taste for trouble and battle. And on top of that Rhaena had proved to her that these impulses tended to take over reasonable thinking. "If there is any sign of trouble you leave immediately, you don't stay to fight, am I understood?"
"I've learned my lesson, mother," Rhaena said softly, nodding a little. "I won't do anything stupid this time."
"Good, now come here," Elaena nodded, holding her arms out for them all now. She quickly wrapped them up in her embrace, then placed a kiss on Rhaena's head. "Return to me as healthy and whole as you leave me."
She reluctantly let them go once they started to shift a little, knowing that they were past the age where they would allow her to smother them with her love endlessly. She then looked to Daemon, trying to conceal the tears in her eyes from them. He gave his sons two pats on the back and then his daughter a kiss on the cheek as a farewell, then turned to look at their awaiting dragons. "Now go. Be back as soon as you can."
Elaena watched as their children all turned to leave, each of them mounting their dragons Aexel, Baemex, and Onyx. Despite being the youngest dragon of the three, it seemed as if Rhaena's tenacity with the care of hers had paid off, for hers was by far the largest. Onyx was closer in size now to Elaena and Daemon's own dragons Vermax and Caraxes than she was to her brothers'. Elaena was glad that her daughter would have more protection in this regard. For while she trained at the sword like the rest of her family, she was still to small and weak to be any real threat. And Viseryn's sharp skills with a blade would be enough to protect Aemon who couldn't defend himself due to his mangled hand should it be needed.
"They're going to be alright, my love," Daemon said softly, wrapping his arm around Elaena's waist to pull her in closer for comfort. "They're smart and they're brave. They'll come back to us."
"Will it ever get easier seeing them go?" she asked, feeling a tight knot in her throat. "Even when their our ages and we become old and wrinkled, will I still worry this much watching them leave me?"
"They're our children, we're always going to worry about them when we're not their for protection," Daemon responded quietly, "But we've prepared them for the world best we can, at some point we have to trust them to guide themselves."
Perhaps because he wasn't the one to carry them into this world Daemon couldn't understand the way Elaena felt, what she meant when asked if the worry would ever fade. She knew that her children would grow into adults, that they would become capable humans on their own without her. What she had meant was if it would ever hurt less to let them go, if the fear for their well-being that she felt deep in her bones would ever lessen.
But arguing semantics over how she felt with her husband was not something she had time for, and it wasn't something that she wanted to do either. She knew that he loved their children as much as she did, that was of no question, but perhaps they carried different kinds of love for them; his one that she wouldn't understand since she wasn't a father, and hers that he wouldn't understand since he wasn't a mother.
"We should go," Elaena said softly, pulling on Daemon's hand to walk towards her own dragon. "We have a long ride ahead of us-"
"Wait," he said, pulling her hand back so that she would face him. "There's one more thing I want to tell you before we go see your uncle and aunts in Highgarden."
"What is it?" Elaena asked, her eyebrows furrowing a little as she waited for him to continue.
"I wanted to tell you that I'm proud of you," he said slowly, squeezing her hand with love, "For becoming Rhaenyra's Hand. I know you doubt yourself, but I want you to know that I don't."
"The other lords in that room today certainly don't seem as happy as you about it," Elaena responded, sighing a little. "They're not angry that I, a woman, is the Hand instead of them."
"Fuck what makes them happy," he shook his head, "This is war, it doesn't make anyone happy. All they need to know is that you're capable, that you're strong. Trust me when I say I won't let a single one of those fat, bald cunts raise any dissent to your new position."
Elaena couldn't help but laugh at his insult to them, the sound sweet in the air as they stood on the beach.
"There it is," Daemon smiled lightly, looking at her lips as she laughed.
"There's what?" she asked, her smile lingering for a moment longer.
"That laugh," he said a bit more sadly now, "It's been too long since I last heard it."
Elaena's smile faded as she nodded, the reminder of this painful. It had been too long since any of them laughed, since any of them had had a moment's peace to just exist without the threat of war hanging over their head. "I know. I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault," he shook his head, "It's this world we live in, the lives we were born into."
"This isn't how it always was, though," Elaena sad sadly, "We were happy on Dragonstone, when it was just us and the children. All we did in those days was laugh and smile... I miss that more than anything."
"We're going to get it back," he said more firmly now, truly wanting her and himself to believe this. "When the war is over, when Rhaenyra sits the throne, we'll come back just us, just our family. We'll live as we once did."
"If I'm Hand of the Queen my place will be by Rhaenyra's side even after the war ends, and this won't be the last war she sees, your place as Master of War by her side too," Elaena whispered, "Our titles as Prince and Princess of Dragonstone will become honorary yet again, our lives bound to King's Landing."
"Maybe for us, but not for our children," Daemon reminded her, "Rhaena will be Queen one day by Jacaerys' side, and Aemon will rule Dragonstone as its prince like any other lord in Westeros."
"And what of Viseryn?"
"He'll likely be greatest source of our grief running around Westeros with his sword," Daemon responded, his smile returning a little. Elaena laughed lightly at this, nodding in agreement before he continued. "Viseryn will get to choose his own path, much like I got to. He'll be happy for it. All our children will be happy once this war is over."
"Even Rhaena?" Elaena raised her brows. "You know she doesn't want to marry, not even to Jace, not even to be Queen one day."
"She'll have us," Daemon nodded. "She'll have her own children one day to love, and as Queen she'll have more freedom in this world than most to do what makes her happy."
"You do realize though that this all depends on us winning this war," Elaena said slowly, feeling a bit of dread enter her heart again. "Should we lose the only ending any of us together are our heads side by side on pikes."
"I won't let that happen, not to you, not to our children," he said, placing his hands on either side of her face. He then kissed her forehead, his lips lingering on the warm skin for a moment before pulling away to continue. "We're going to win this war, Elaena. We're going to get our happy ending together, I promise."
Author's Note: Hi everyone! I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Since this is the world of Game of Thrones, we are bound to have lots of turmoil and lots of grief, as was seen in the last chapter... so I wanted to end this chapter to include a bit of lightness here and there.
Elaena is Hand of the Queen, and Daemon is Master of War... and while their little vision for their children's futures is very sweet, they have no idea what I as the author have in store for them, poor babies. I love my characters but don't think I'm past throwing yet another wrench into their lives... after all, I can't make the war to come too easy for them.
The next chapter will be MUCH longer than this one, with combined points of views from Rhaena and Elaena as they split up to go across Westeros and gain the support of the great houses...and you all know what happens where Rhaena is going...
The next chapter should be uploaded within the next few days, and after that when the episode's events have been completed, I will continue releasing more until we come to an end...until then, let me know what you thought of this chapter, I hope you enjoyed reading my friends❤️