Author's Note: I am so sorry it's been such a long time since the last update. I recently started a new job AND got the flu...so I've had very little time to do anything except work and rest. As well as that, my creativity has been less than inspired lately, don't know if it's just because I've been writing this story for so long or if I'm just tired, but I'm thinking of taking a hiatus. Do you guys still want more chapters to keep being released? If so I'll keep writing, they just might come out a little less frequently than usual.

With that said, I'm sorry again that it took me over two weeks to update...please enjoy the latest chapter of this very long saga lol. Happy reading~

Trigger Warning: Sexual Content

THE DRAGON & THE ROSE - SEASON'S END/PART THREE

Rhaena Targaryen

It took Rhaena a long while to compose herself once Aemond left her alone on Dragonstone. She watched silently as he treaded down the beach and climbed into his small boat, and tears fell from her eyes as he rowed away. He had come not only to warn her and her family for her own protection, but also in the hopes of discovering that she felt the same way he did. But it was too late.

She was married to Jace now, and for that she should be happy. But as she watched him row further away on the dark black sea she couldn't help but feel her heart break in two. It wasn't until he was leaving her that she realized it was he who she truly wanted, that if she could make her choice over again it would be him.

But she couldn't go back in time. She couldn't change anything, no matter how much she wanted to.

All she could do was watch him go, knowing that if she did anything else the world around her would implode. So once he was out of sight on the horizon, she wiped her eyes and stood up straighter, then turned to go back inside where the rest of the guests were surely wondering where the bride had run off to.

As soon as she went back into the great hall, her eyes met with her eldest brother, Aemon's, who looked relieved to see her.

"Where have you been?" he asked, walking towards her with a bit of frustration now.

"I just needed a minute to clear my head," Rhaena lied, forcing a small smile onto her lips.

"Are you alright?" he asked, noticing that her eyes seemed redder than he last saw them. "You look like you've been crying."

"I'm fine," she nodded, wiping her eyes once more, "Just overwhelmed is all, have you seen mother?"

"She's off looking for you," her brother replied, "As is father and Viseryn."

"Well you can call them back," Rhaena said, clearing her throat a little as she saw Jace starting to approach. "I'm fine."

"There you are," Jace said with a small sigh, "I was beginning to think you ran away."

"Don't be silly," Rhaena said with a nervous smile, "Like I said, I was just getting some air."

Jace nodded, then looked to Aemon with a bit more of a solemn face. "Aemon, would you mind if I had a moment alone with Rhaena?"

"Of course," Aemon said, turning to give his sister a kiss on the cheek. "I'll go let mother and father know you're back."

"Thank you," Rhaena said softly, watching as he turned away. Once he was gone she reluctantly looked to Jace, finding it hard to look him in the eye after the conversation she just had outside with Aemond, after she had finally come to terms with her feelings for him.

While Jace could sense something was wrong, he only explained it to himself as it being her not ready for this. He was already well aware that she needed time, the last thing he could expect that was actually wrong was that his sworn enemy had just professed his love for his wife, and that she felt the same way too.

No, he never could have guessed this, especially with what was already on his mind.

"People have started to leave," Jace said slowly, watching Rhaena's face as she listened. "Retired to their rooms."

"Have they?" Rhaena asked, looking behind her at the rest of the room only to see that the numbers indeed had dwindled since she left. "I'm sorry I was gone so long, I just lost track of time-"

"It's alright," he said reassuringly, "Truly. It's just..."

"It's just what?" she asked, turning around to face him again.

"Those who are remaining await the bedding ceremony," he said quietly, his face lost of any humor or lightness.

Rhaena's stomach dropped to her feet, and her heart rose into her throat as she heard these words. She had completely forgotten about this old custom, and even if she hadn't forgotten she never thought she would have to take part in it. Surely her parents would never allow it.

"Must they watch it happen?" Rhaena asked, her skin turning white as a sheet.

"After the disupte surrounding my own legitimacy, they want to ensure that any child you may bear is mine," Jace whispered, his hand finding hers and gently holding it. "But I will tell them no if that is what you wish-"

"Of course that is what I wish," Rhaena said firmly, her chest rising and falling quickly now as she glanced to the lords all standing in a circle. Everything about this day felt impossible, there were too many decisions to be made that would affect her life in the many years to come. "But should we have children I refuse to have them question their legitimacy as they have questioned yours."

Jace stood silently for a moment, his face falling as he looked at her. "So you'll do it?"

Rhaena exhaled shakily, avoiding his eyes as she nodded. "If I must."

"I don't want to force you-"

"It's not you who's forcing me," she said quickly, shaking her head. "I know that."

He nodded once, then cleared his throat a little, speaking so quietly she could barely hear. "I'm sorry, Rhaena."

He then held his hand out for her, which she reluctantly took, then walked the two of them towards his mother. Rhaenyra looked at them as they approached, knowing what was to happen next.

"Should we not wait for your mother and father?" Rhaenyra asked, looking at Rhaena solemnly.

"No," Rhaena shook her head, "In fact I think it's best not to."

While at most other weddings in history's past there would have been a joyous march to the bed chambers, it would not happen this day. The other young ladies of the court would not drape their shawls over Jace as they escorted him to the bed, and the young men would not lift Rhaena above their shoulders to be carried there either.

Instead, Jace and Rhaena only walked silently hand-in-hand, with the trail of quiet viewers following behind them. Once inside the chambers, Rhaena's eyes immediately drifted to her surroundings. This was the first time in her whole life that she would share a room with another. All her life she had had a sacred space to call her own, a safety from the world around her. That too was being ripped away from her today.

Once everyone was inside the room, the door shut quietly behind, alerting them that it was time to begin.

After a small squeeze of the hand, Jace let go of it and stepped behind her, creating a shield between her and the watching eyes as he began to undress her. Rhaena kept her gaze on the bed before them, trying to keep her breathing under control as she felt his hands gently work through the strings of her corset.

Each touch his fingers made to her body sent chills down her spine, making her legs feel more and more unstable by the second. Once he was done with the strings he slowly moved to push the sleeves on her shoulders down. Not knowing what to do other than stand there, she waited for him to finish on his own until she was standing only in her thin white slip.

Her breathing raked through her chest as she waited, hearing him begin to undress himself now. She wondered if she should be helping him the way he did her, but she couldn't bring herself to do anything except wait. She was too nervous, too naive to know what to do next.

Once he was only in his large white tunic, he walked around to face her again. In this moment she could see that he was equally as clueless as she was, that he was just as nervous and naive as she. He swallowed roughly as he looked at her, then put on the smallest of smiles he could manage as he took her hand.

He held her hand as she sat on the bed, then laid back. He slowly moved on top of her, positioning himself awkwardly so that they were in lign with each other.

Rhaena's eyes flitted to the side at the people watching, but felt his hand take her own again. When she looked back at him he whispered only loud enough for her to hear, "Don't pay attention to them. Let's pretend like it's just us."

She nodded a little, her eyes watering as he leaned down and gave her a small kiss on the lips. But even this attempt to make her feel better was no consolation. For she didn't want it to be just her and him either.

As he slowly moved inside her, she closed her eyes, wincing a little at the pain. But while it was painful, it was one that she found herself enjoying. She had had no idea what to expect from this moment physically, and now she knew why. There was no way to describe how it felt to be this intimate with someone, there was no way to prepare someone for it, not truly.

So to keep from thinking too much, she focused on the way this felt, completely shutting out anything else. Through the darkness of her shut eyes she slowly started to see Aemond's face, and in the silence of the room around her she heard his voice telling her how he felt. While she knew she shouldn't be thinking about him as she lay with Jace, she couldn't help herself.

Once her mind started down this path he was all she could think of, and with she felt herself craving each movement Jace made more and more. She could hear him start to groan a little, and her own body started to tense up in a way she wasn't expecting.

Her nails gripped into the sheets below as her muscles tightened, shuddering breaths escaped her lips. Then all of a sudden she felt a wet warmth inside her, as well as Jace's own body relaxing a little on top of her.

There was a murmer in the corner of the room, then the sound of footsteps leaving. The door opened and closed once more, leaving her and Jace alone in the bed. Rhaena kept her eyes closed, breathing heavily as the image of Aemond's face lingered in her mind for a second more.

Elaena Targaryen

After a long morning of trying to talk her husband down from the rage he felt concerning their daughter's bedding ceremony that happened without their consent, Elaena and him walked to the small council room for pressing news concerning the war.

While she shared his anger, she also understood why Rhaenyra felt it necessary for the bedding ceremony to occur, and why their daughter had wanted to do it without her and Daemon watching. It would have been awkward enough to do it as is without her parents in the room, and however her daughter wanted that event to happen was the way Elaena wanted it to. She only wished she hadn't had to do it all.

"She's going to be alright, my love," Elaena said, giving Daemon's hand one last squeeze as they approached the small council chambers. "You said it yourself back in Harrenhal, the children are not children anymore. We have to trust that she'll find her own way."

"She wasn't ready for that, for any of this," Daemon shook his head. "Rhaenyra shouldn't have-"

"Our Queen did what she thought was best," Elaena said, stopping in her tracks to look at him. "We have to remain united with her if we are to win this war, we cannot have any animosities between us."

"So you agree with what she did?" Daemon asked, his eyes narrowing on her with disbelief.

"Of course I don't," she responded, "But I also know that she didn't have much choice in regards to her supporters who question her son's legitimacy. As well as that, we know Rhaena and Jace. Do you really think she would have done it without putting up a fight if she didn't want to? Do you really think he would have forced her?"

Daemon stood silently, knowing the answers to these questions but still hating them all the same.

"Rhaena and Jace have to find their way through this by themselves, on their own terms," Elaena said softly. "We have to let them do that if they ever stand a chance at finding happiness with each other."

Daemon nodded, then sniffed once as he looked towards the door. "Shall we go in then?"

"Only if you promise not to bring this up today, not in front of Rhaena at least," she responded.

"I promise I won't."

Elaena nodded once more then turned to walk through the door to the small council room where everyone already waited. Her eyes first found Rhaena, who was standing with a glassy look next to Jace. Then she turned to Rhaenyra, curtsying once before standing at her spot at the table.

"Forgive our lateness, Your Grace," Elaena addressed their queen, "I hope you have not been waiting long."

"Not at all," Rhaenyra said, looking around the table now. "We only all just arrived."

As Elaena's eyes drifted, she saw that every noteable person on their side was in attendance in the room: her own aunt Elyse and uncle Maesen Tyrell, Lady Jeyne Arryn of the Vale, Princess Rhaenys, and all of the children they had. Everyone was here ready and at arms.

"We have news from King's Landing," Harwin Strong started, "News of the men that Prince Daemon and I sent into the Red Keep."

"Tell me," Elaena said seriously, noticing the grave tone that the Commander of the Queen's Guard's voice took.

"They were only successful in the taking of one life, the traitor King's eldest son Jahaerys," Harwin said. "Members of the guard in the Red Keep caught them before anymore lives were taken for our own. Blood and Cheese's heads now rest on spikes."

"And now my usurper of a brother wants vengeance, as if it was his to call upon," Rhaenyra said angrily, her voice bitter and cold.

"If he plans to attack he'll likely make Harrenhal his first target," Daemon started, moving one of the war pieces to the site on the stone map. "It's where most of our men are rallied right now, it's where we have the best vantage point. I say we send our dragons and men there to defend it."

"Why not call our men out?" Maesen Tyrell asked, turning to him with furrowed brows. "Surely we can move the meeting point to Highgarden-"

"We cannot forfeit our position at Harrenhal yet, we cannot show such weakness."

"But If they mean to attack they'll likely send Aemond to lead it from the sky," Elaena refuted, "We have no chance in winning against Vhagar, we should retreat now and use our numbers elsewhere."

"What would happen if we lost Harrenhal, Prince Daemon?" Rhaenyra asked, narrowing her eyes on him.

"If we lose Harrenhal then we open the gates for Criston's armies to march through. From there, they will have far too easy of an access to the Lannisters in the West, and then the Starks in the North should they plan to cut through the rest of the Riverlands," Daemon explained, moving pieces on the table around to show what he meant. "Which would effectively leave our forces in the Vale, the Riverlands, and the Reach all completely surrounded. Like I said, Harrenhal is crucial to keep, Your Grace."

"So how do we keep it against both Criston Cole's armies on the ground and Vhagar in the sky?" Rhaenyra asked, looking to all of the counsilors for their input.

"As many men as you need from Highgarden will be sent where you require, Your Grace," Maesen said with a nod.

"And while Lord Maesen's men ride from the south I will send my own from the east in the Vale," Jeyne agreed, "We can block off the Green army whichever way they come from."

"All the armies in the world will be nothing if Vhagar rides above," Elaena said sharply, "Aemond will have her burn through them all within minutes."

"Send me dragonback to Harrenhal," Daemon said firmly, not wavering for a second in this suggestion.

"Alone?" Elaena asked, raising her brows. "You're a skilled fighter, we all know this, but even you alone cannot beat Vhagar...she's four times Caraxes' size."

"Then we should all go," Viseryn piped up, a little too excited by the prospect of a fight. "If all of our dragonriders go, it doesn't matter how big Vhagar is, we'll win-"

"And risk everything we have for one fight?" Elaena asked, shaking her head. "No, it's too risky."

"Then we send our next largest dragons out there with Daemon," Viseryn said, looking to his little sister now. "Onyx is the biggest dragon we have next to Vhagar."

The rest of the room stood silently, no one quite believing what they just heard.

"What did you just say?" Elaena asked, unable to comprehend that he just suggested sending his own sister out to meet the most dangerous dragon in the world.

"I know it's a risk, but Rhaena has the best chance of any of us, especially if we send more than one dragonrider," Viseryn explained.

"No," Jace said firmly, looking at Viseryn with dark eyes. "No I won't allow it."

"I'm glad to see my daughter's new husband agress with me," Daemon said, looking at his son sharply. "Rhaena is too young and inexperienced for this. To be an envoy while dragonback is one thing, this is another."

"There are men even younger and even more inexperienced than Princess Rhaena who are being torn from their homes in Highgarden and sent into battle," Elyse Tyrell said coldly, looking at Daemon as she shook her head. "Yet they do their part all the same."

"And yet at the same time none of those being sent from Highgarden are to be Queen of the Seven Kingdoms alongside Jacaerys one day," Elaena said bitterly to her aunt, "It's our job to protect the heirs, not send them out to the slaughter."

Elaena then turned to her daughter, who was shockingly silent in all of this exchange. Rhaena's eyes were glued to the table, a thousand thoughts swimming across them with each second that passed, and yet Elaena had no idea what any of them might be. Her daughter's wall was built high around herself right now, not letting anyone see what she was thinking or feeling. All Elaena knew was that for one reason or another, her daughter was distressed by all this talk.

Elaena then turned to look at Rhaenyra, silently pleading with her not to send her only daughter to war.

"Rhaena won't be sent to Harrenhal, that's final," Rhaenyra said loudly, ending all other conversation about it. "She is to remain here with my son where they are safe. The two of them are the future of the Seven Kingdoms after my reign, I won't have them needlessly endangered."

"Then who will you send, Your Grace?" Elyse asked, raising her brows a little.

"I will send Prince Daemon, Princess Elaena, and Prince Aemon," Rhaenyra concluded, "Together they should prove enough to take Vhagar down and defend Harrenhal alongside the Tyrell armies."

With this word, Elaena looked to Daemon, realizing that they had exchanged the safety of one of their children for the other. All they could do now was hope that them and their eldest son would be enough to win.

Rhaena Targaryen

Since the meeting nearly three days ago, Rhaena felt consumed with conflicting feelings. More than anything, she was relieved that she wasn't being asked to go to Harrenhal to fight against Aemond. Ever since they spoke the night of her wedding her feelings for him had only grown more twisted, more difficult to stop thinking about. She knew that in the field of battle she would never be able to hurt him, and that he would never be able to hurt her, which would only draw attention to them in a way they both knew would be dangerous. So the best thing was for her to stay away, to not give anyone a chance to see what might be between them.

But despite her relief to stay back, she also wanted to go to Harrenhal to protect him against her family who was out for blood. And at the same time she also wanted to go there to protect her family from him. She didn't want anyone that she loved to die, and she knew that someone would.

So as she sat before the fire in her bed chambers on the night they her brother and parents departed for Harrenhal, she could do nothing except feel completely sick to her stomach. Jace had been watching her all evening, trying to get her alone so that they could speak, but she kept avoiding him at every turn. Now that they were alone, he could finally talk to her.

"I hate to see you this distressed," Jace said softly, sitting in the chair across from her and leaning forward over his knees. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No," Rhaena shook her head, then looked down to her hands as she fidgeted with them. "I'm just worried about my parents...about my brother."

"They're going to be just fine," Jace responded, trying to comfort her the best way he knew how. "United as one, they'll kill Aemond and Vhagar without a problem. Then they'll be back here with you. I promise."

Rhaena didn't respond to this, mostly because she didn't know how to. She didn't want her parents to kill Aemond, not at all.

"Or maybe they won't be at Harrenhal at all," he proposed, shrugging a little. "It was only a guess that they would be there. Maybe your parents and brother go there only to find that there's no battle to be fought. Not today at least. Or maybe Aemond and Criston see the vast amount of defense we have there and turn around before any fighting starts at all."

This idea made something spark inside Rhaena's head, something she felt stupid for not having realized sooner. Maybe if she was there at Harrenhal, Aemond would turn around. Maybe he wouldn't continue the fight if he knew that she would be directly in harm's way. He wouldn't lead the forces ahead if it meant killing her, or if it meant himself getting killed either.

"Rhaena," Jace said, leaning forward a little further to try and get her attention. "Rhaena, are you alright?"

"I have to go," she muttered, standing from her seat to walk towards the door.

"Go where?" he asked, standing quickly to follow her.

"To Harrenhal, maybe I can help-"

"Have you gone mad?" Jace asked, grabbing her hand to stop her. She turned around to look at him, only to see a face that was completely bewildered. "Not but a month and a half ago did Aemond try to steal you from Storm's End...which ended in my brother being murdered. I refuse to lose you too if he tries to take you back again, or worse, if he tries to kill you."

Rhaena wanted more than anything to tell him that Aemond would never kill her, and that him killing Luke had been an accident, but if she did everything would blow up in her face. It would reveal everything she was so desperately trying to hide.

"I just want to help my parents, my brother," Rhaena said, settling for this reasoning to explain why she was trying to go. And while this explanation certainly hid other facets of her reasonings for wanting to leave, it certainly wasn't a lie. "If something happens to them and I had the chance to help I wouldn't be able to live with myself. I have to protect them-"

"And I have to protect you," Jace said, keeping his hand on her wrist to keep her from going. "I made a vow to do that for the rest of my life, I won't let you throw yourself in harm's way."

"You won't let me?" she asked, tearing her arm away from him.

"That's not what I meant-"

"Well that's what it sounded like to me," Rhaena said angrily. This was exactly what she feared of marriage; being a woman in a marriage. She didn't want to seem incapabable of handling herself, of making her own decisions.

"You heard what my mother said, what your parents said too," he said as calmly as he could, "We are the future of the realm, Rhaena. We have to be smart in how we choose our battles."

"What's smart is making sure that the people I love survive this battle...making sure that they're lives aren't thrown away for mine over a bloody castle that can be used in battles that may or may not come in the future."

"All of war is a risk, your parents knew that going into it-"

"And I know that me going to their aid is a risk too," she said, her chest rising and falling quickly as she spoke, "But it's a risk I'm willing to take."

"I'm sorry, but I'm not willing to take it," he said softly, looking at her with heartbreak in his eyes. "Ser Cley!"

Rhaena turned around to see the door open, then felt her heart sink.

"Yes, Your Grace?" Ser Cley asked, looking at Rhaena once before turning back to the one who called him in.

"See to it that Princess Rhaena doesn't leave this room until I say otherwise," Jace said, his voice filled with sadness as he walked past her to leave.

"No, Jace, don't do this-" Rhaena said quickly, reaching to try and stop him. When it was clear that he wasn't going to change his mind she turned to Cley, begging him to listen to her, "Cley, please, you serve my mother, you serve my family. You have to let me go-"

"Keeping her here is for her own safety, Ser," Jace said, his jaw clenched tightly together. "She's trying to leave to ride out to Harrenhal to meet them. They'll thank you for protecting her from doing so."

Cley looked at Rhaena as if to say he was sorry, that he had no choice but to listen. Not only did Jace outrank her in terms of orders, but he was also right. If it was his job to protect her, keeping her from fleeing Dragonstone on Onyx again was the only choice he had. He wasn't going to allow her to endanger herself like last time.

"I'm sorry, Princess," Cley said softly, closing the door behind him.

Rhaena rushed forward as she heard a bold lock from the outside, then banged her hands on the door with frustration. "Let me out! Jace! Please! Cley, just let me out!"

She continued to kick and hit the door, hoping that her protests would make either one of them open it, but nothing did. Soon her arms and legs became sore, and her throat became dry from screaming so loudly. Her rage quickly turned into grief, for now that she was locked in with no ability to leave she could only think about what might happen next. Would she wake up to the news of the death of her parents? Or her brother? Or Aemond? Or perhaps all of them?

Each prospect made her want to die herself, for she didn't know to handle the loss of anyone of them. But what she could do from here? What could she do to save those she loved?

Author's Note: So it was a bit of a short chapter, but it was the best I could do given my health right now. I hope you all enjoyed it despite its short length, and would love to know what y'all thought...

Do you think there will be any casualties? Will Rhaena find a way out of her imprisonment to go help?

Until next time, my friends. ❤️