Soaring through the skies did wonders for the mind and soul. Nestled upon Rhaegal's back, Rhaena felt happier than anything to be flying with him. His injuries were healing well, no longer troubling him as before. Smiling to herself as she and Daenerys flew on their dragons, they circled Dragonstone before making another pass over their ships as they sailed into the bay and weigh anchor. Rhaena was happy, happy to be flying, happier still that Rhaegal was healing just as she was. She wondered to herself if perhaps the reason why she had almost died was because Rhaegal too had been critically injured in his fight against Viserion. It did not matter now. They were together again, and when they were together, they could conquer the world. Drinking in the sensation of the wind through her hair and the thrill of being several thousand feet above land and sea, Rhaena almost missed the sound of something whistling through the air. Opening her eyes, she frowned in confusion as to what it could be, scanning the air before all at once, a sleek black dark appeared in her view. She only had a moment to scream, twisting herself upon Rhaegal's neck to throw him into a steep bank as her warning cry carried across to Daenerys and Drogon who instinctively fell into an evasive manoeuvre, peeling away from his brother as a large bolt soared between them, narrowing missing Rhaegal as it clipped his flank but did not pierce. More followed.
Rhaena bellowed in warning and had Rhaegal swiftly fly in a steep ascent, climbing higher to be out of range of the scorpion bolts as Drogon did the same, allowing them time to search for the source. When their eyes fell upon the black sailed ships adorned with giant, golden krakens, they recognised the fleet of Euron Greyjoy. Yara had her fleet moored at the Iron Islands, having reclaimed it from her uncle, but it appeared that rather than chasing after his niece, Euron had remained utterly focused upon his task of winning over Cersei and assisting her to maintain her throne. More bolts pursued the dragons, but now they were well beyond reach, so instead, Euron turned on the helpless ships which now lay before his fleet like lambs ready for slaughter. Without hesitation he opened fired upon them. With the adjusted designs, the bolts tore through the hulls of the ships effortlessly and Rhaena watched in horror as ship after ship began to sink as it was torn apart. Looking across to her sister, she saw Daenerys's face contort in fury, snarling before having Drogon dive down even as Rhaena cried out to her, warning her not to fall into their trap. It was too late, and she was beyond hearing. Refusing to follow, Rhaena had Rhaegal return to Dragonstone where he would be safe, for he was still too injured to fly against Euron's fleet and manoeuvre as he needed to avoid being struck. She had almost lost him once, Rhaena was not willing to risk him again to such a foolish act of stupidity.
Instead, once Rhaegal landed she slid from his back and raced to the edge of the cliff, watching as Drogon levelled himself over the surface of the water, soaring directly for the enemy fleet until at the last moment, Daenerys seemed to change her mind and instead, banked away from the attack. Having no other choice as she was unable to risk her dragon to the enemy bolts, Daenerys could only watch helplessly as the boats which were yet to moor were utterly destroyed and her people forced to either abandon ship or drown with them as they sank. Watching was all Rhaena could do, staring as gradually, the survivors managed to swim to shore. Eventually she was spurred into action, racing from the cliff all the way down to the shore where she splashed into the surf and began to help those who floundered, bellowing at the top of her lungs for skiffs and rowboats to be dragged out and taken to the wreckages to save as many people and supplies as they could find. Grasping hold of an Unsullied soldier, Rhaena pulled him to the shore and pressed the water from his lungs, removing the helmet so that he could breathe deeply. She then turned and went back, shouting orders and searching desperately for Tyrion, Varys, Missandei and Grey Worm. Three of them she found.
Missandei was lost. The news hit Daenerys hard, causing her to tremble in anger as the council conveyed an emergency meeting together. Their numbers were dwindling enough as it was, losing their ships was a sore blow which Daenerys took personally as she stood before the extensive map of Westeros, toying with one of the lion figureheads. She wanted to take their armies and her dragons to take King's Landing that same day, that very moment. The method of her intentions caused no small amount of alarm to her advisors who quickly began to attempt to dissuade her from her chosen course of action to simply burn everything to the ground and Cersei along with it, though Grey Worm was now more than willing to destroy all of his queen's enemies now that they had taken his lover, Missandei, telling her so in his vow to storm the city and kill her enemies down to the last man. "Your Grace. I promised you I would look you in the eye and speak directly if I ever thought you were making a mistake. This is a mistake." Varys announced plainly, though as Rhaena watched, she could see that her sister was no longer listening to reason.
"They attacked my children. They were almost killed by those contraptions." Unable to deny it, Varys nodded. "They took Missandei."
"Cersei needs to be destroyed, but if we attack King's Landing with Drogon, Rhaegal and the Unsullied and the Dothraki, tens of thousands of innocents will die," Varys continued to press, desperate to make Daenerys see reason and alter her course. "That is why Cersei is bringing them into the Red Keep. These are the people you came here to protect. I beg you, Your Grace. Do not destroy the city you came to save. Do not become what you have always struggled to defeat." But still, his words had little effect upon the woman who styled herself a queen from a birth right which in truth did not belong to her.
"Do you believe we're here for a reason, Lord Varys? I'm here to free the world from tyrants. That is my destiny, and I will serve it, no matter the cost."
"Sister, sometimes a cost is too great to pay," Rhaena said to her tenderly, attempting to pacify her with softness and understanding. "Perhaps before we consider taking King's Landing, we should consider rescuing Missandei or ransoming her back. I know I do not speak for myself in my desire to see her safely returned to us." At least in this aspect, Grey Worm agreed more with Rhaena. He wanted Missandei back, the woman he loved. Already he cursed himself inwardly for allowing her to fall into danger when he had promised to protect her. He thought of their conversation concerning her home, how she wished to return to Naath where they intended to make their home and life together, with his Unsullied brothers to protect the peaceful people there. That dream was swiftly turning to dust and ash in his hands, and Grey Worm was reminded of his deepest fear of losing Missandei forever. They had to save her. Pausing in her thoughts, Daenerys considered her sister's words, as well as Missandei. As much as she would prefer to rescue her loyal friend and servant…other matters must take precedence. She could not risk her entire campaign for a single person.
"It could be a fortnight before Jon and the allied armies make it to King's Landing," Tyrion ventured further in order to break the silence, building upon the alternative suggestion that Rhaena had offered. "In the meantime, demand Cersei surrender. Offer her life in exchange for the throne. If there's a chance to avoid the coming slaughter, we should make the effort." Closing herself off to suggestion once and for all, Daenerys lifted her face where anger and fury reigned.
"Speaking to Cersei will not prevent a slaughter. But perhaps it's good the people see that Daenerys Stormborn made every effort to avoid bloodshed, and Cersei Lannister refused. They should know whom to blame when the sky falls down upon them." Leaving with Grey Worm at her heels, Rhaena released a shuddering breath as she fell back into a chair and lowered her head into her hands. Coming to her side, Tyrion rested his hand understandingly upon her arm, sharing in her distress. Things were not looking well, and the closer Daenerys came to her goal in succeeding the Iron Throne, the closer her mind seemed to wander towards madness. The greatest fear of every Targaryen. What concerned them most of all, however, was the fact that Daenerys appeared to be utterly ignorant of the fact that she was losing all sense of reason. As Rhaena considered everything that haunted her sister and the words she had spoken, she began to imagine if this was what her father had been like in the days leading to his final descent into insanity. With nothing more to do, Rhaena could only decide to take action herself.