AN: Rhaenyra is apparently fifteen in the series. Alicent we still do not know, so I might have to change that information as the series progresses. - QueenNothingness
Chapter 2
Six months have already passed since their mother is gone. Maegelle feels as if she has become closer with Rhaenyra, since her father still barely talks to her.
Rhaenyra has however gotten her father so far that Maegelle occasionally attends the council. She is the second cup-bearer of the King. Stupid maybe, but her sister seems to be adamant she has as much options as her.
Tough she often does not fully understand everything that is discussed out there, she does know that something is seriously going wrong in the Stepstones. She can see it in the way uncle Corlys is speaking, though he always has a smile ready for her.
'Prince Daemon has been squatting in Dragonstone for close to six months. The crown has done nothing at that moment, so why would the Crabfeeder fear us? If nothing is done?'
Maegelle bites her lip, taking the bottle of wine back into her hands as her worried look crosses that of her uncle. Uncle Corlys sighs, giving her a warm smile and patting her on the head.
'Don't look so worried, Maegelle.' uncle Corlys smiles, ' I am sure the war in the Stepstones will be stopped sooner rather than later.'
Rhaenyra beckons for Maegelle to come closer, her younger sister droning the sounds out. She does not listen to what she does not understand.
'You have dragonriders, father. Send us.' Maegelle can tell the men are not happy with Rhaenyra meddling in their affairs, though she is supposed to be the heir to the throne. Uncle Corlys seems to agree as does Maegelle.
'Sounds like a good plan to me.' Maegelle pipes up, the stares the men give her making her fidget in place.
'This is not the kind of topic the young princess should discuss, Your Grace.' Otto Hightower dismisses Maegelle, the girl turning red. Rhaenyra's jaw tightens, her gaze steel-hard as she looks at Otto.
Her hand is grabbing Maegelle's shoulder, letting her know she is here for her if needed.
Rhaenyra is dismissed to go and choose the next knight for the King's Guard and Maegelle files also out of the room, starting to wonder at which point her father allowed any other man than himself to order her around.
She'll wonder later if that was the exact moment her disgust of Otto Hightower and his plotting begins.
The following days are much the same, spent with reading in her room and following her sister around when Rhaenyra is not accompanied by Alicent. Though Maegelle feels lost without her mother, she tries not to bother Rhaenyra too much, understanding her sister wants to spend time alone with her friends as well.
But Seven Gods, does it make her feel lonely.
Maegelle spends much of her time praying these days. It is something her Septa had offered as a solution whenever she felt lonely and lost. 'It is only between you and the Gods, Maegelle.' Her Septa had softly said as she lay sniffling after another nightmare.
'Tell them whatever you wish, and I am sure they will listen. It will also show your mother, bless her soul, how well you are doing.'
It had been a coping method at the very start, but now, Maegelle comes regularly once or twice a week, because it gives her inner peace and allows her heart to feel a little lighter, if only for a little while.
She overhears Alicent asking if Rhaenyra would mind that her father remarries. And it comes as a shock to Maegelle, the candle falling out of her hands and onto the ground.
Her father? Remarrying? But her mother has not been dead for even a year!
'Maegelle?' Rhaenyra asks, seeing the tears in her younger sister's eyes, the girl turning around and almost running out of the room. She gives Alicent a sad look.
'If my father remarries, that will be his decision. But they should stop pushing him. And please, don't mention it in front of Maegelle.' Rhaenyra pleads to her friend. 'She is young and does not understand. It will seem to her as if mother is being replaced.'
Alicent sighs sadly, patting Rhaenyra on the back as she sees her friend praying to the Gods. Her heart goes out to the youngest princess, wondering how and when everything got so complicated?
'Aunt Rhaenys!' Maegelle shouts out happily, going to her aunt who is waiting for her with open arms. The youngest Targaryen fails to feel the tension between Rhaenys and Rhaenyra, squealing happily when her aunt tickles her side.
'Where is Laena?' Maegelle asks, looking around for her niece. She has not seen her in ages!
'Trying to get our father to marry her.' Rhaenyra bluntly says, aunt Rhaenys giving her a warning look.
'Marry father?' Maegelle says confused. 'But Laena is still so young!' Her aunt sighs, sitting down on the bench and patting the place next to her. Maegelle sits, trying to understand what is going on.
'Your father is expected to remarry, unfortunately.' Aunt Rhaenys says softly. 'Your niece was proposed as his bride since it would keep the bond between our Houses strong.'
Maegelle nods, after a talk with her Septa and tutors, she had understood what it meant, though she still was wrapping her head around it.
'Ofcourse Laena would not wed your father before she is at least fourteen or fifteen.' Aunt Rhaenys continues, stroking Maegelle's head.
'Would you be bothered if Laena married your father?'
The silence that follows is long, all sorts of emotions crossing over Maegelle's face. Her answer that follows shocks Rhaenys. But that is why they say the youngest princess is more moderate than her sister, more forgiving.
'No, it wouldn't bother me. Father has to remarry anyway. I'd rather it is someone we know and trust.'
Rhaenyra sighs but sits next to her sister, giving her a warm smile. 'If everyone was as understanding as you, the world would be a much better pl ace.'
Her sister squirms in place, flushing but accepting the praise anyway. The conversation soon goes to other topics, and the tension is soon forgotten as well.
'Maegelle!' The doors to her room fly open, a seething Rhaenyra standing in her doorway. 'We are leaving, come on!'
The youngest princess sits up, a confused look crossing her face when Rhaenyra grabs her gently by the arm and gives her her coat to wear.
'Where are we going, sister?' Rhaenyra huffs, braiding her sister's hair out of her face. 'Dragonstone.'
The younger sibling stops in her steps, big, confused eyes looking at her sister. 'I do not understand, Rhaenyra.'
Her sister takes a deep breath, the anger that had been clouding her eyes, replaced by a calmer and more collected emotion.
'Uncle Daemon has stolen our brother's egg.' A pang goes through Maegelle's heart, the mention of her dead sibling still too painful to talk about. 'We are going to get it back and send a message to our uncle that he cannot just take what he wants.'
'He may be our father's brother, but we are the heirs to the throne. We are as much Targaryen's as he is, and he needs to stop running all over us. Since father will do nothing, we will do it in his place.'
Maegelle is almost running to keep up with her sister, as Rhaenyra takes big strides towards Syrax.
'I still don't understand, Rhaenyra.' The oldest princess stops, noticing how small her sister sounds. 'Do you trust me?' Maegelle nods without question, Rhaenyra giving her a warm smile.
'Than trust me on this. Come with me, Maegelle.'
Rhaenyra is the first to mount Syrax, the dragon bumping her wing against Maegelle in greeting. The youngest princess manages to crawl behind her sister, huffing and puffing when she is finally seated.
'Hold on, Maegelle!' Rhaenyra calls out, taking the reins as Maegelle grabs her sister around her middle, eyes looking down at King's Landing that becomes smaller and smaller as they go up into the sky.
She can feel the tension in the air, as they come closer to Dragonstone. Rhaenyra is thrumming with it, and so is Syrax. Though her sister does not show it.
Maegelle's hands are now holding the seat by the sides, having stopped grabbing her sister around her middle since her hands have gone clammy with sweat.
She is jostled a bit more, but it is bearable. 'We are almost at Dragonstone, hold on tight!' Rhaenyra calls out over the wind, giving her sister a reassuring smile.
They are surrounded by nothing but white clouds, until at once Syrax goes up, and Dragonstone comes into view. Maegelle looks down and sees Otto Hightower's shocked expression, ser Criston Cole doing a double-take when he realizes the second princess is also here.
Syrax turns back, Maegelle's gaze falling onto Caraxes, the dragon softly keening when he sees them. No matter what, her uncle's dragon has always been happy to see Rhaenyra, Syrax and her.
Maegelle cannot stop but call out a greeting to Caraxes as Syrax flies by, no one but her sister and her hearing it. Caraxes keens again, letting out a roar in answer.
Syrax lands, the seat jostling, making Maegelle grab the edges of it. Rhaenyra takes a deep breath, looking at her sister. 'Stay here. I will talk to uncle Daemon.'
Maegelle nods as her sister dismounts and starts walking towards their uncle and Otto Hightower, Syrax bending down so that Maegelle can better see what is happening.
The wind is too strong for her to hear their conversation, but she decides enough is enough. Maegelle decides to get off Syrax in a moment of courage, her small body running between the guards.
She stops next to Rhaenyra just as she says 'Be done with all this bother.'
'Why did you steal Baelon's egg, uncle?' Maegelle softly asks, tears brimming in her eyes. 'Why his egg and not another?'
Daemon stays silent, his eyes falling on his youngest niece. 'We are family, uncle.' Maegelle whispers again in Valyrian. 'Would you destroy our entire family for something as stupid as a throne?'
The silence that fills them seems to stretch on for ages. 'It is not so simple, Maegelle.' Daemon answers, but the tension has gone out of his body. He comes closer, bending down so he is on eye-level with his youngest niece.
'One day when you are older, you will understand.' He gives her another smile and allows her to take the egg from his hands, nodding at both the Targaryen sisters before stepping back.
'The fondness for my nieces is the only reason you are still alive today.' His gaze falls on Otto Hightower, smirk growing vicious. 'Keep that in mind the next time you come and make ridiculous demands.'
Maegelle watches her uncle retreat, a proud smile tugging at Rhaenyra's lips. The egg is taken away, to go back and wait for another opportunity to hatch for another rider in the future.
And even though their father is livid and scolds them quite harshly, Maegelle cannot help the satisfaction that simmers in her gut. For once, she feels she has been useful and done a good thing.
Her joy and satisfaction go down the drain days later.
Maegelle is as white as a sheet, the cup that had shattered at her feet long forgotten. 'Alicent? You want to marry Alicent Hightower?!' Maegelle screeches out, a tantrum starting to form within the 10 year old.
'Why her?!' Maegelle points an accusing finger to Alicent, her sister stunned into silence, not sure where to look. 'Why? I thought you were going to marry niece Laena, not the best friend of Rhaenyra!'
Her little heart is drumming in her chest, tears starting to form in her eyes. 'You think I will call her mother?!' Maegelle spits out bitterly, seeing red from anger. 'Over my dead body!'
'How could you do this to us, you...?' 'Maegelle! That is enough!' The youngest princess stares back defiantly at her father, tears brimming and starting to spill over.
Uncle Corlys has turned around and is leaving, the doors opening as he goes out of the room.
Maegelle takes a deep breath, turning on her heel and running after her uncle, ignoring the hands of her sister that are trying to stop her. 'Maegelle!' Rhaenyra calls out, but her sister is already out of the door.
Uncle Corlys turns around, his frustrated look forming into one of sympathy. 'Maegelle? Calm down, dear.'
He takes her out of the Keep, allowing her to calm down enough for her to speak. 'I know it is not easy. But I am sure your father has his reasons.'
'He should've chosen Laena.' Maegelle sniffles. Corlys lets out a bitter laugh. 'That is something we agree on, niece.'
A comfortable silence falls over them, both looking at the slowly setting sun. 'You know you are always welcome to stay at Driftmark, Maegelle. Both you and Rhaenyra, even though we clash sometimes with your father. You are family and you are always welcome.'
The youngest princess gives her uncle a thankful smile, tears dried by now.
She will stay here for now, to stand by Rhaenyra, as she cannot even imagine how betrayed she must feel.
But it is good to know she is always welcome with her uncle and aunt. And she is sure sometime in the future, when everything might once again be too much, she will take them up on their offer.
But for now, she will stay by Rhaenyra's side like her sister was by hers when their mother died.
This time, Maegelle will be the strong one.