Knowing the keep and its secret ways better than anyone, Rhaena was swift to find a more stable part of the falling castle, gasping for breath as she rubbed dust and ash from her face. Rushing towards the open view of a walkway, Rhaena looked outside beyond the walls of the inner keep to try and see where the dragons were, searching for Rhaegal in particular to know that he was alright. With roars filling the air, Rhaena craned and twisted her neck as Drogon flew overhead like a great calamity as he breathed another hurricane of fire over the city. Not a heartbeat later, however, Rhaegal screeched as he flew after his brother, tackling him once more and being a considerable nuisance in order to keep him from razing the city to the ground from smoke and flame. Breathing deeply, Rhaena turned her head and looked both ways before deciding to try going upwards. The rubble was falling down, but if she could get to one of the uppermost towers before it fell and call for Rhaegal with her horn then he would come to her and lift her away before the entire keep could fall down upon her head. After everything she had gone through, dying because of a rock falling on top of her seemed a rather miserable way to go.
Ignoring the pain in her leg and limping as best she could, Rhaena staggered each time the keep trembled, often thrown this way and that as the rocks creaked and groaned, wailing as they fell. Forcing herself to keep moving, Rhaena flung herself aside as another part of the keep wall cracked, crumbling with a tirade of rock and stone threatening to crush her, throwing herself forwards and rolling in order to clear the impact area before lolloping away once more. When the ground split, she leaped, and when the way threatened to concave, she dove. She would not be buried here. After all the miserable years she had spent living in this cesspit, Rhena refused to allow it to become her tomb. So she continued to run, not allowing herself to stop until she came to the courtyard where the map of Westeros was painted across the floor, detailing the regions and their landscapes, the castles and the keeps, from the northernmost known tip of the Land of Always Winter all the way down to Dorne's most southern shore. It was here Rhaena came to a halt, staggering against a pillar as she looked up to find none other than Cersei Lannister standing there, looking lost and afraid. When their eyes met, Rhaena forgot everything else.
There were no guards, Kingsguard or otherwise. Her soldiers were defeated and she had no one else to champion her. She was utterly alone. Utterly defenceless. She was completely at Rhaena's mercy. Drawing in a sharp breath of dust ridden air, Rhaena grasped the hilt of Whitefyre and drew it with a clear ring, the sound drawing Cersei's attention towards her as Rhaena stepped out of the shadows. True terror lit Cersei's beautiful emerald eyes, shining with tears as she began to choke and sob, shaking her head in retreat. It was too tempting, all thought and reason vanishing from Rhaena's mind as she focused her entire being upon Cersei. This was her chance. Perhaps her only chance. As Cersei retreated backwards, Rhaena prowled after her, stalking her down whilst gripping tightly onto her sword. Kill her. Gut her. Burn her. Tear her to pieces and feed her to the wolves. She deserved it. After everything she had done, she deserved it all. Rhaena stared at her greedily, thinking how it would feel to pierce her flesh with Whitefyre and watch her bleed, to peel back her skin and bathe her in flames little by little until she screamed for mercy. It would be no more than what Cersei had done to her over the course of her life.
Even as Cersei begged, staggering backwards through a doorway in order to move away from Rhaena, the sound of her sobs and pleading excited her. Rhaena enjoyed every moment of it, wild eyed and staring as she pursued Cersei step by step up a flight of steps even as Cersei scrambled to run from her. Rhaena knew this castle. She knew there was nowhere left for Cersei to run. She took her time, taking the stairs one by one until finally she reached what had once been one of the keep's towers. Now there was nothing left, only a gaping mouth which seemingly screamed with no where else to flee. Cersei was trapped, and as the wind rustled and carried the sounds of screams and dragon cries, Cersei finally accepted that she was going to die. Her hands pressed against her stomach, weeping quietly as she thought of her unborn child. She would never feel them grow within her, feel them kick or wriggle or hold them once they were born. That life was stolen away from her, and in a bout of irony which only the gods could construct, her downfall was of her own making. If she had been kinder to Rhaena, then perhaps she would not now be facing her blade. She turned in order to look at her, watching as the dust and ash smothered white of her hair rose with each step she took, eyes wild and full of fire. It was an expression of bloodlust, and it was directly solely at Cersei. Gasping for air as her blood roared, Cersei closed her eyes, too afraid to watch her end come to meet her. She prayed it would be quick, though she doubted she would be given such mercy.
Watching as the woman of her hatred sank to her knees, Rhaena drew back her sword as she closed both hands around the hilt, every muscle coiled to the point of tearing as she seethed through her teeth. "Please," Cersei whispered as Rhaena stood over her whilst the keep trembled around them. "My child…please spare my child…" Dropping her eyes to where Cersei's hands cradled her belly, realisation struck Rhaena all at once. The queen was with child. A scream welled up in her throat, though Rhaena was so far beyond reason that she was uncertain whether she voice it or not. She could feel it, however, staring at Cersei as her mind fought against itself. Kill her and slay an innocent alongside her, or spare her and lose this chance to exact revenge without anyone else interfering. Rhaena knew what she wanted. She wanted Cersei's blood. A wildness took hold of her mind as years of pain and suffering accumulated all at once upon her, causing Rhaena to bellow and release the tension in her muscles in order to swing her sword. Cersei gasped, seeing the flash of the bright blade lunge for her. It would have tasted flesh and blood, were it not for her brother.
Appearing as if from thin air, Jaime tackled Rhaena to the ground where her sword was lost from her grasp in her surprise, grunting as the two hit the floor and immediately started to grapple. Rhaena snarled and hissed like a wild beast as Jaime fought to restrain her, his sword wavering in his left hand as he attempted to free his arm from her grasp so that he could remove the threat. He was weak, however. Weak from his battle against Euron Greyjoy, and Rhaena could smell the blood on him. Slamming her hand against his side where one of his wounds ailed him, Jaime cried out from the pain and his body naturally convulsed, loosing its grasp upon Rhaena who then kicked him forcefully in the chest to send him flying onto his back as she tore his sword from his hand. Lunging to her feet, Rhaena then scrambled to retrieve Whitefyre, seizing it from where it had fallen then turned with both swords in her possession to where Cersei had rushed to grasp hold of Jaime and embrace him as he lay where he had fallen. Clutching at his side, Jaime lifted his golden hand towards Rhaena, hoping to give her pause. "Please…don't do this."
"It is no less than what she deserves." Rhaena snarled in a voice that was not her own, wildfire burning through her mind as she stared at Cersei who cowered behind her brother. "No less than what both of you deserve!"
"I know. I know…" speaking softly and in desperation, Jaime continued to use his own body to shield his sister. "Then, if you must take someone's life, let it be mine. Let me atone for everything I have done to you and your family. Kill me, but by the gods, don't hurt her." Trembling in rage, Rhaena struggled to breathe. She should not hesitate. Not for Jaime, not even for the unborn child in Cersei's belly. It was too great a risk. If she spared them, then what if Cersei managed to escape? She did not deserve to live a peaceful life. She deserved hell. All seven hells, and an eighth one just for her. She was a monster. A murderer. She was too dangerous to be allowed to live. Rhaena started forwards, ignoring Jaime's pleas and Cersei's cries in order to raise her blade and strike them down together. If they loved one another so deeply, then they could die in one another's arms. Her sword rose over her head, flames sparking into life across the mottled metal as Rhaena looked once more into their eyes before they closed them and clutched tightly at one another. She watched as Jaime encircled his arms around Cersei and embraced her with such warm, loving tenderness that it caused Rhaena's heart to ache. Cersei sobbed but clung to him, kissing at his face and brushing at his hair as his hand curled over her head, shielding her with as much of his body as he could in preparation for the final blow, but when it did not come, both dared break apart in order to look at their executioner. Rhaena's violet eyes were alive and seemingly aflame, shifting between shades like flickering embers as she trembled violently until all at once, she slashed her sword downwards with a scream. They flinched, but the blade struck only air.
"Fuck!" She bellowed, releasing another pained outcry as she flung Jaime's sword out into the abyss below then sliced at an innocent chair, turning it to kindling as Rhaena vented her anger upon anything inanimate as she continued to scream. "Fuck you! FUCK YOU CERSEI! FUCK BOTH OF YOU!" Dragging air into her lungs, Rhaena released a sob as the tears began to flow, overcome with emotions she could not yet make sense of. At the very least, the heat in her head was beginning to cool and she could think once again. She breathed. Once. Twice. Then she looked to the Lannister siblings and where they cowered, Jaime still shielding his sister from harm. Shaking her head, Rhaena slammed her sword back into its sheath and instead, reached for her hunting horn. When she pressed it to her lips, she released three crisp, expansive notes which rose and burst across the crumbling tower and echoed far beyond. Watching her as she walked around them, Rhaena went to the ledge where the ruins of a balcony had once stood, turning her face towards the cooling wind and letting it further diffuse her temper. Madness. It was all utter madness.
Neither Jaime nor Cersei moved as Rhaena stood with their backs to them, watching her warily until gradually they began to hear wingbeats against the air before all at once, a colossal shape cut across their view and filled the broken remnants of the tower. Rhaegal cried out to Rhaena, bringing himself closer and closer before then burying his claws into the crumbling stone in order to grasp on tightly so that he could press his shoulder to the gap where Rhaena waited for him, allowing her to leap across and quickly grasp hold of him so that she could settle safely once again at the base of his neck. Once she had a firm grip, Rhaena almost had Rhaegal pull away but something stayed her. She looked back, meeting the fearful eyes of Lannister green. It felt strange to look at them so unfeelingly when only moments ago she had been burning with loathing for the both of them. The keep continued to shudder and the tower began to groan, threatening to give way. Rhaegal chittered, warning her that he could not hold on for long or they would be dragged down with it. With a wrench of her gut with spiralled with a sickened sensation, Rhaena thrust out her hand. "Come on then." Jaime balked only for a moment, staring at Rhaena's outstretched hand before all at once, dragged Cersei to her feet. At first Cersei struggled, but when the tower began to crack and tilt, she knew it was either jump or die. She jumped.
Her heart dropped when she stepped into open air, flailing uneasily as her hand sought for something to cling onto, however when it fell into Rhaena's hand, Cersei gaped in shock as Rhaena grunted and swung her around behind her, yelling for Jaime to jump too. The tower gave a sickening crunch and Rhaegal screeched, beating his wings in order to pull away as the tower ripped apart from its foundations and began to fall. Cersei screamed for her brother who was flung backwards, unsteadied by the quaking of the falling tower but he managed to stay on his feet. A painful heartbeat later, he all but flung himself from the ledge. He fell over Rhaegal's head and plummeted as the dragon began to take off and would have fallen to his death were it not for Rhaena and his sister. Both lunged for him, catching hold of his arms which ripped him out of his descent and slammed him against the dragon's shoulder whilst caused Rhaegal to hiss in irritation but continued to rise upwards regardless, drawing away from the tower as it plunged into the ocean in order to clear it completely. Together they managed to pull Jaime up for him to swing a leg over the dragon's back, and once Cersei had caught her breath and allowed herself a moment's reprieve to feel her brother's arms around her and sink back into his chest, she looked once more at the girl she had tormented…and had now saved her life. Rhaena guided Rhaegal to fly a pass around the keep, intending to get away from the city before her sister could loose Drogon on them. There had been enough fire and blood today.
Arching around the keep, Rhaegal's head turned sharply when ahead of them, part of a wall burst outwards and from within, two large shapes fell through it. Feeling Cersei suddenly grasp at Rheana's shoulder, intaking a quick snatch of air, Rhaena only had a brief moment to react before they would have been out of reach. Pressing her hand against Rhaegal's neck, she willed him to catch them. Or at least, the one who had pushed the giant, hulking mass who had once been the Mountain. Rhaena was not certain, but she was fairly confident that the other form was that of Sandor Clegane. It was pure chance they happened upon him at that moment, Rhaena would otherwise be none the wiser to the fact that he was in the keep at all. Releasing a loud shriek, Rhaegal stretched out his hind claw and, with the impressive accuracy of a skilled hunter, seized hold of Sandor Clegane as he flew overhead, where the Mountain descended into the inferno that awaited him below.
Now Rhaena felt only exhaustion, pressing herself against Rhaegal's neck and allowing him to fly where he willed. Rhaegal carried them outside the city and across the water, skimming the surface of the ocean in order to return home to his roost on Dragonstone before landing. He did so gently, drawing himself up to land as lightly as he could, crooning softly as he set down the prey he had caught first, the cursing Sandor, before then dipping his shoulder so that Rhaena could drop down and stagger away. Both Cersei and Jaime watched her as she stumbled before all at once doubling over and retching. It was an understandable feeling. They descending warily, feeling the dragon's sharp glare upon them as he growled warningly and shifted himself so that he was between them and Rhaena, though none of them were any longer a threat to her. For a long while, the four of them merely stared at one another. Two Lannisters, a Targaryen, and a Clegane who had fully expected to die just so that he could kill his brother. Eventually however, both men began to succumb to their wounds. Jaime fell first and then Sandor, Cersei gasping out her brother's name as she tried to hold him upright. When Sandor crumbled to his knees, he suddenly found a tender hand at his shoulder whilst the other lifted his face in order to inspect his injuries. Through the blood and blur, he could see the violet irises of Rhaena Targaryen. "We will see to your hurts." She promised him before drawing back and sounding a call upon her horn to summon help. "As for you two, you will remain here as prisoners." The twin Lannister siblings gaped at her.
"You're not going to kill us?" Considering their astonishment, Rhaena remained silent for a few moments as Rhaegal shifted, exhaling hot air over them all as he growled until finally, Rhaena settled upon an answer.
"Not today."