The King's Feast 34: Queen of the Narrow Sea
King's Landing was beneath Laena, and she pulled on the ropes for Vhagar to dive down. She did, soaring downwards and downwards, until Laena yanked the ropes again, and Vhagar made a sharp turn upwards, narrowly missing out on the city below with her large tail. Vhagar flew up and up, barrelling through thick layers of clouds that Laena couldn't see through.
The wind pulled Laena backwards, but luckily, she was strapped in. The harsh winds dragged her back, as if someone was pulling at her silver hair. Blood rushed to her head, so she made a quick pull at the ropes again, so Vhagar stopped soaring upwards. Vhagar pivoted and faced forwards, wherever that was, slowly flapping her giant wings.
They were so high up Laena could see the horizon curving ahead of her, and below was the outline of the Blackwater Bay. King's Landing wasn't even visible from up here, it was just green and grey and brown from the skies. The stars shone brightly, and the sky looked as if it were almost night.
Suddenly, Laena's head started hurting again, and she found it hard to breathe. She puffed and panted, and felt her vision becoming blurry.
Maybe I could stay up here...
Everything darkened, and Vhagar let out a concerned growl.
No... the children...
Laena used whatever strength she still had to pull on the ropes, and Vhagar dove downwards again. She dived down, flying through the clouds again, and levelled out still some ways above the ground, but King's Landing, the Red Keep, the Dragonpit, and everything else was clearly visible now. A rush came to her head, and for a small moment she felt like she could do anything. Her ears rung slightly, and her stomach churned, before everything went back to normal.
Whatever normal is.
She continued to fly around on Vhagar, instead circling the city, and breathing plumes on fire on patches on dry land outside of it. Even from so close to the ground, everything and everyone seemed so little, as if they were ants beneath her.
I could so easily destroy everyone there with just one command.
"Dracarys!" Laena shouted, and Vhagar let out a spit of bronze and green and blue flames into the air above her, and dived through it. It felt like going through a furnace, but when she came out on the other side of the flames, she was unharmed, her hair and clothes now dried after her flight through the clouds. Vhagar let out a loud roar, sending ripples across the Blackwater and making everyone in the city piss themselves.
Driftmark is so close from here... I could just take the children me with there... or send for mother and Laenor to come here on their dragons... no... doing so would alienate me even further in court... who would accept Daeron as heir then… I must play the same game that Rhaenyra and Jason Lannister play in order to secure my son's position...
Whenever Laena rode Vhagar, she often had the same thoughts, but always brushed them aside, but each time she had the thoughts, the harder it was to do so. Riding Vhagar was one of the few things that made her feel something nowadays, and one of the few things she actually did during the day. Apart from that, she would maybe send ravens back home, informing her family of how she was, how the children were.
Viserys did not deprive me of that, at least.
The same thoughts came up when she wrote the ravens, but Laena knew her father was too prideful, her mother too stubborn, and her brother too hot-headed for her to express her true thoughts in the ravens. If she did, they would no doubt come to the capital with all of House Velaryon's strengths, ships and dragons both. It was tempting, but even Laena knew that would be unwise. Instead, she would tell them she was feeling lonely at most, but all was well enough.
Why do I not speak the truth to them? How does that help? Mayhaps if I tell the comforting lie enough times, I shall start to believe it.
What Laena knew she had to do if she did not want to resort to violence was to build allies in the capital, make friends in powerful places, declare her intent to stand against her stepdaughter.
But how am I meant to do that? As far as everyone else knows, I am still in favour of Rhaenyra being heir.
Laena promised to herself that she would begin the next day, begin to build her network of allies in court, but the next day never came. She would wake up late, see her children, eat, ride Vhagar if she could, mayhaps write a letter, then sleep again. She knew she had to do it, but she just lacked the motivation to. The days and weeks and months just blurred by, and as they passed, she got lonelier and lonelier and lonelier. She couldn't even remember her dreams after a night's sleep.
Gods... get a hold of yourself... tomorrow... I shall start... I swear it.
That is what she promised herself the previous day, and the day before that.
Vhagar sensed her unease, letting out a small blast of fire, all while slowly flapping her large wings in the air. The she-dragon groaned loudly and screeched. That meant she was tired, so Laena circled her around the city again, before landing some distance away from the city, with the Gate of the Gods in the distance. Viserys had a small outpost set up there, so she knew where to land, in case she decided to run off into the Kingswood or into the Blackwater after climbing off Vhagar.
When she landed, she got off the dragon, a heavy feeling still in her stomach. She jumped off the last rung of the rope ladder, and a shot of pain hit her stomach. Then she vomited. It was luckily only a small amount of puke this time, but she could still see parts of her breakfast in there, blood sausage and eggs and peppers.
After wiping her mouth with her sleeve, she stroked Vhagar's rough scales one more time before turning back to the city. She grunted lazily and laid her massive head down to sleep. Underneath her body, she could see part of the massive gash that went down her stomach. It had gotten worse and worse, and as of late, Vhagar could not stay flying for too long, and spent most of the day sleeping as per the dragonspotters.
I guess we are both alike in that regard.
The dragonkeepers said that the wound would not heal due to Vhagar's age, and the last dragonkeeper who tried to touch the wound was devoured by the dragon anyways. The wound looked like a rainbow now, with bits of green and purple bus, along with red and orange flesh underneath, all along with rotting black skin that flaked around it. The smell was so much worse from close by, and Laena quickly moved away so she would not puke again.
By the outpost, a small group of Targaryen guards were waiting there, some sitting, some standing, but all lined up by the carriage when they spotted Laena walking towards them. Ser Willis Fell of the Kingsguard, who was with them too, walked to Laena and greeted her, smiling.
"Queen Laena." Ser Willis nodded. "We have a carriage prepared for you."
"Thank you, Ser Willis, but I shall ride to the city." Laena replied, defiantly.
Small, subtle shows of strength, that is how I play the game of thrones.
"Are you certain, My Queen?" Ser Willis asked, concerned, looking at her plump stomach.
"Yes..." Laena responded, before thinking about the pain in the stomach, and how she just vomited, and how tired she felt. "Actually, I'll go in the carriage."
They all saw me riding Vhagar, didn't they? That is a show of strength, isn't it? I'll go by horse the next time.
Laena would ride Vhagar however unwell she was feeling, that was something she could not forgo. Riding a horse was less interesting, and she wouldn't sacrifice her health to ride a bloody palfrey. Laena sat in the carriage, holding her stomach, that had a large blanket covering it, provided by the handmaidens. Her belly had grown now, but it would still be some moons until she would have the child, considering she had only done her duty once with her husband since returning from the Stepstones around four months prior.
I still remember that fucking night... if he summons me to his chambers once again, I swear I'll smother him with a pillow in his sleep.
It was even worse than she remembered, he didn't even have one hand, and one half of his body was rotted and flaky, even worse than Vhagar was. The next morning, she felt worse than she had ever felt, and so dirty that even three baths did not change how dirty she felt. It was only some weeks later, when her moon blood didn't come, did she feel slightly better.
At least I will have one more ally with me soon... and now that I am with child, my Lord Husband will not summon me, for now.
When she arrived in the Red Keep after a bumpy ride, some court members where there to kneel for her. Laena spotted the Bar Emmons as well as Ser Lyonel Massey there kneeling for her. They all offered Laena their best wishes, as they always had, and returned back to their quarters in the castle.
I may have some allies still, those who joined my father in the Stepstones.
She walked down the outer yard, where Ser Criston along with a young lad came walking towards them. The boy was dressed in head to toe in boiled leather armour and a helmet that looked too large for his head, with silver hair flowing out of the back
Daeron!
She ran up to her son, lifting him up in the air and hugging him. He was almost eight now, and carrying him was no longer as easy as it used to be.
"Ser Cris, can we finish now? Mother has arrived again." Daeron asked to Ser Criston, after Laena put him down.
"Yes... but tomorrow you will an extra ten minutes of training... run along now, lad. Get that armour off." Ser Criston said, as Daeron went off with Ser Willis who helped him take off all of the leather and tidy him up.
"Your Grace." Ser Criston said, solemnly. "Are you well?"
"Well." Laena said. "Well enough."
Ser Criston is one of the few people I can trust here.
"How is Daeron faring?" Laena asked, nodding at the young prince, who was pulling at a tiny pair of leather gloves on his tiny hands.
"He still does not enjoy the yard." Ser Criston sighed. "Despite that, he still is more able than all the other boys his age."
"Is that because the other boys do not want to hurt the little prince?" Laena asked.
Even if he does not like the training yard, he must do it all the same. We must all do our duties.
"Mayhaps that might be the case." He chuckled. "But he still has talents. Heaps of it. I only convinced him to start training properly with me recently and he has picked up my methods easily. More training and he will be more than capable with sword and shield, regardless of how much he enjoys it, or complains about it."
"Yes. Thank you, Ser Criston." Laena smiled.
"Any time, Your Grace." Ser Criston responded, kneeled. "I am your sworn protector."
Daeron was out of his training gear and now in a brown doublet. He went running up to Laena, and she walked with him to Maegor's Holdfast. As she went down the serpentine steps, she felt the baby kicking again, and when Daeron noticed Laena groaning in pain, the little lad offered his hand to help her down the steps.
His help wouldn't really make a difference, but Laena took it anyways. The smile on his face after he did that was more than anything she had felt in the past week, so she smiled slightly too. Upon reaching their quarters, Laena slumped down on her chair, which was covered with feather cushions, and finally let out a breath of air.
She took the cup that was on the table and took a long drink of it. The drink was bitter, and she almost spat it out. The maester had advised against drinking wines whilst with a child, so instead she had to drink a fruit juice mixed with a mix of herbs which was said to make the babe strong.
What I would do for a bloody cup of wine... now I understand why Viserys drinks so much Arbor gold.
"So, how has training been, dear?" Laena asked to Daeron, who plumped himself down on the straw bed.
"I still don't enjoy it, mother." Daeron replied, crossing arms in defiance.
"That is what you said about dragon riding, remember?" Laena gently asked.
A few weeks ago, Laena and Daeron had gone to the Dragonpit, so he could ride Tessarion for the first time, as the dragonkeepers has said the she-dragon was finally large enough. Daeron enjoyed cuddling the copper and cobalt queen, as well as giving her commands to serve, sit, and spit fire. But when it was time for him to actually mount the dragon, he was terrified of the prospect.
When Laena told him that he would be riding her, his eyes widened in fear, and he instinctively started to hide behind Laena, as if he was suddenly terrified of the dragon he had loved.
"B-but what if I fall... she is a scary beast... truly..." he pleaded, his tears bubbling, and his voice trembling.
The dragonkeepers tried their best to convince him, even showing the new saddle they had fitted on Tessarion. The saddle and armour were made of silver, with a boiled leather seat that matched Tessarion's copper horns and scales. Along the silver armour was beautiful Valyrian glyphs, and etchings of flames and waves and dragons.
That didn't help, however, and he only seemed even more scared of the prospect, and the dragonkeeper then said comforting words in Valyrian, but Daeron did not yet understand the tongue. Instead, to him, the Valyrian sounded like a sharp insult, which just made him burst into tears.
When his tears started to clear, Laena then encouraged him once again, and when he refused, Laena had lost all hope, until Baela, who was also there that day, made her brother change his mind.
"Are you a craven, Daeron? I am smaller than you but I would ride a dragon by myself if mother let me." Baela said, still annoyed at that Moondancer was still not large enough to be mounted.
Only then, did Daeron decided to face his fears and attempt to mount his dragon. Clearly still terrified and about to piss his breeches, he still climbed onto Tessarion and gripped onto the copper and silver handles, and when he was on, he breathed a small sigh of relief, for the first part of mounting a dragon was now complete. All he had to do now was to command Tessarion to fly.
"Istia udrāzma zirȳla aōla, Dārilaros." One of the dragonkeepers said, instructing Daeron to give the order.
You must command her yourself, Prince.
"S... Sōv-Sōvegon, Tessarion..." Daeron nervously whispered, and the dragon begin to flap her wings and take flight.
Fly, Tessarion...
The dragon launched into the air, a beautiful slender dragon that whose copper scales glimmered in the torchlight of the Dragonpit. He circled around them a few times, flying past the viewing seats and letting out small blasts of cobalt flames into the air, whilst his long silver hair and red cloak flapped behind him.
"Kessa, Tessarion! Kessa! Sōvegon!" Daeron cheered; all the fear gone from his voice.
Yes, Tessarion! Yes! Fly!
He flew around the Dragonpit a few more times after that, and only came back down when Laena sternly commanded him to do so.
"Please, mother, can I fly her outside next?" Daeron eagerly jumped, now in love with flying dragons despite hating the idea just a few minutes ago.
"Next time, dear." Laena laughed, patting Daeron on his head as they left.
After that, the part of the week Daeron looked forward to the most was the dragon lessons, even more than when he had to study histories with the maesters. Eventually, he began asking to go to the Dragonpit himself so he could ride Tessarion in his spare time, but Laena and Viserys both agreed that he was still too young to go alone.
"Dragon riding is different, mother... I like Tessarion... I don't like swinging a sword..." Daeron complained.
"But Ser Criston says you are good at it… you must, dear."
"He's just saying that because I'm the Prince." He retorted, trying to find any excuse against the training yard.
He is smart, the lad, there is no denying that.
"No, he's not just saying that... he has never said that your father was good with a sword in his youth just because he is the King, has her? He says that because there is truth in it..."
"Even if it is true, I still do not want to, mother. I do histories and reading and dragon riding... surely that is enough..." he sighed.
"You are the Prince, dear. And you are to be the King one day... a good king must be talented in all areas. The Old King Jaehaerys was, as was Aegon the Conqueror... even if you do not want to do it, you must do it."
Viserys is not talented in all areas, that is for certain.
"...but isn't my sister to be the Queen?" Daeron questioned.
Laena sighed and rolled her eyes.
"You are knowledgeable in the histories, aren't you dear?"
Daeron nodded politely.
"Then you know that a brother comes before a sister. Jaehaerys came before Rhaena. Aegon before Visenya. You are to be the King one day, dear." Laena curtly said.
"Yes, mother..." he relented, sighing.
"Come now, dear, the bath has been prepared for you. You are smelling of the training yard." Laena smiled, taking him by the hand.
After Daeron was fully bathed and dressed, Laena had a bath ran for her too, to clean away the stench of dragon. She dressed in a loose red gown after cleaning up, that had the three-headed Targaryen dragon embroidered on it, and went to eat supper.
She ate her dinner with the children, and they talked about mundane topics and how their days was. After that, it was night by then, so she was in her quarters in her nightclothes reading a book. Then, a knock came at her door.
"Come." Laena said, and in came a handmaiden.
"Pardon me, Your Grace." The handmaiden said. "The King requests your presence, in his chambers."
Gods.
"The hour is late..." Laena replied.
The handmaiden simply smiled and exited the room.
Laena closed the book she was reading, not really remembering what she had read. She didn't really remember what she talked about with Daeron and Baela at supper either, nor what she had even eaten.
Mayhaps I can think of other things, and then I shall forget about it tomorrow.
Laena slowly walked down the dark hallways, past the tapestries and wall decorations, and up the stairs to her husband's quarters. The Red Keep was silent at this time of night, and Ser Criston, who was posted outside her bedchambers along with Ser Rickard, greeted her, which echoed off the walls.
Luckily within a few minutes, Viserys rolled over to his side and began snoring, before he even finished with claiming his husbandly duties. Slowly, Laena got up from the bed, tying up her nightclothes and walked back to her chambers again.
When she arrived back in her quarters, she collapsed back on the bed, closing her eyes to finally escape from the Red Keep.
Even the emptiness of my dreams are more preferable than this.
Laena woke up overlooking a vast sea of darkness. Above in the skies, Vhagar was soaring up in the clouds, her bright green eyes glowing in the night.
Suddenly, Vhagar stopped flying, and fell out of the sky.
She went diving down, but this time without stopping, into the black water down below. But before she could hit the water, Laena woke up in a cold sweat.
It was just a dream...
Laena looked around for a moment. Her clothes felt wet with sweat, and she shivered from the cold. She looked down between her legs, but there was no blood. Out of the window, it still was the middle of the night, and the Red Keep was still silent.
Wait... it was a dream... a dream…
Quickly, she jumped out of the bed, running to the window. Up in the skies, no dragons were up in the air, nor did the city seem any different. Whilst she rubbed her eyes, the loud roar of a dragon shook the air.
I recognise that call...
The roar came again, and this time, she felt it inside her head. The roar felt almost sad, and sent a spike of pain in her stomach. It almost reminded her of the sound of a person dying.
No... Vhagar...
Laena grabbed a black cloak and ran out of the doors.
"Your Grace?" Criston asked. "Where are you going?"
She looked towards the two Kingsguard members outside of her door and tried to run down the hallway. Instantly, Ser Criston pulled her back, and turned her around to face him.
"Where are you going, Your Grace?" he asked, concerned.
"To Vhagar!" Laena whispered, trying to let go of Ser Criston's grip.
"My Queen." Ser Rickard replied. "We cannot let you..."
"Ser Criston, as my sworn shield, you are oath bound to follow me, are you not?" Laena said, ignoring Ser Rickard.
"...yes..." he replied, nervously, loosening his grip on Laena's shoulders.
"Then take me to her." Laena commanded. "Vhagar is dying. I want to have one final ride on my dragon."
"As you command, Your Grace." Ser Criston replied, bowing his head.
"We cannot, Ser Criston..." Ser Rickard began.
"I am your Lord Commander." Ser Criston said, standing up straight and looking his brother in the eyes, moving his right hand towards his sword. "I shall do as Queen Laena commands. And you shall do as your Lord Commander commands."
Ser Rickard looked nervously to Laena and Ser Criston. "Yes... Lord Commander..."
"We must be quick!" Laena urged, as she started to run down the hallway, the two Kingsguard knights behind her, looking like two ghosts following her.
They all ran down the stairs of Maegor's Holdfast, and out of the building, and down the bridge, sprinting past two household guards who began to make chase. Ser Criston ran alongside Laena, whilst Ser Rickard stopped to confront the two guards. They went up the serpentine steps, and when they reached the portcullis to the outer yard, Laena shouted at the guards to raise it.
"We have orders, Your Grace!" the guard responded.
"I am your fucking Queen, raise the bloody thing!" Laena replied, and the portcullis was raised.
They ran out towards the outer yard, and quickly made a turn for the stables. When the guard at the entrance stopped them from entering, Ser Criston grabbed him by the throat and threw him to the ground. They went in and jumped onto the closest two horses they could. Getting on the horse sent a shot of pain through Laena's stomach, and she heard Vhagar groaning off in the distance.
I guess I did get to ride a horse today then.
They pulled at the reigns and rode for the main gates. When they stopped right below it, the two guards atop shouted, asking who means to leave.
"Lord Commander Criston Cole!" Ser Criston swiftly replied. "Now open the damned thing!"
One of the guards hesitated, whilst the other listened, and the gates swung open, and the portcullis creaked.
"Close it behind us!" Ser Criston called, as they rode out into the city.
The palfreys they had chosen were fast, and when they horses charged down Aegon's Hill, knocking over stands and people and carts as they went. Everything passed by in a blur as they rode, and her silver hair blew in the wind. They passed by hovels and manses, and peasants staring at them. When they reached Cobbler's Square, the palfrey jumped over a small campfire, much to the annoyance of a passer-by. Laena took a glance behind, and she couldn't see anyone chasing her, but she still rode as fast as possible to the Gate of the Gods. When they reached it, the gates were thankfully slightly ajar, some Gold Cloaks were moving in and out of the city.
They both rode out of the gap in the gates, and out of the city, whilst some Gold Cloaks called out at her. She didn't let off her speed, riding and riding to get to Vhagar. She saw the large brown mass in the distance and didn't stop until she was by her. Her head ached and her stomach pained more and more, as Vhagar's cries became louder.
Laena finally reached Vhagar, and the palfrey stopped just before it, shying away at the smell of the dragon. Hastily, Laena jumped off the horse, and the landing sent a shock of pain up her stomach, as if the babe was trying to kick its way out.
She sprinted to Vhagar and touched her scaly body. It was still somewhat hot, but not scalding, as she was used to. She grabbed onto the ropes, and climbed up it, dragging her body as she went up, every inch of her body screaming in pain now.
When she was atop Vhagar, she strapped herself in and pulled at the ropes, trying to wake Vhagar into action.
"Sōvegon, Vhagar!" Laena shouted to the dragon, but Vhagar remained lying there, groaning.
Fly, Vhagar!
"Kostilus! mēre mōrī jēda, Vhagar!" she pleaded, but the dragon just grunted, letting out a few small spits of fire.
Please! One last time, Vhagar!
"Dohaeragon nyke, Vhagar! Kostilus!" Laena cried.
Serve me, Vhagar! PLEASE!
Vhagar finally obeyed, and got up from her slumber. She ran slowly across the flat ground, flapping her massive wings, sending the grass and plants blowing away. The she-dragon ran and ran, flapping her wings, in a desperate attempt to fly one more time.
The attempt was futile, however, and when she launched herself off, she only flew for a few seconds before her wings gave out, and Vhagar crashed back into the ground, sending another blast of pain up Laena's stomach. Laena couldn't hold it in any longer, and retched, covering herself, and the back of Vhagar in her sick.
Shaking and crying and covered in vomit, Laena climbed down the ropes of Vhagar, and went to hold onto the dragon. Vhagar's body was warm, but she felt the scales getting cooler and cooler by the second.
"Don't die, Vhagar, please." Laena wailed. "Not now..."
Vhagar just growled slightly, as if she was laughing at Laena for being so naïve. She turned her body slightly, showing her stomach. The wound was even bigger, now all black and dead, and had somehow rotted a year's worth within a few hours. Hot, rotten pus dropped on the ground, but it didn't sizzle when it landed, instead collecting like sludge.
She is in her last moments.
"Why then?" she asked. "Why did you come to me in a dream?" Why, all those fucking years?"
The she-dragon grunted again, before lying back down on the ground.
"You wanted one last adventure, is that it, old lady?" Laena laughed, half from pain, half from delirium. "You knew you were old but wanted to see battle again once more."
Look at yourself, having a conversation with a fucking dragon.
Vhagar growled to Laena's question again, before looking at Laena with her eyes. Those eyes were usually so full of malice and anger, and though they were the same bright green that had a hint of blue, they looked somewhat peaceful tonight.
Vhagar's eyes looked long and hard and Laena, before she closed them one last time.
"No, Vhagar, no!" Laena shouted, before falling to her knees, her cloak soaked in puke and tears.
If Rhaenyra and Jason Lannister had not spoken against sending aid to my family all those years earlier and had Viserys not dismissed my father before that, mayhaps Vhagar would still be alive, and this would have never happened.
Only then did she hear the sound of hooves and men running and shouting. Large hands touched her shoulders softly, and she turned around to look. She couldn't see through her flurry of tears, but she recognised his voice.
"Your Grace, I am sorry. About Vhagar." Ser Criston sighed. "We have to take you back."
She did not fight back, and Ser Criston carried her into a carriage, where she collapsed into the cushioned seats.
At least nobody shall see me in this state.
Laena closed her eyes and drifted off into sleep, and this time, there was no dream.
The next morning, she woke up in her own bed, now in clean clothes. She got up from the bed, the pain in her body still there, and the aching of losing Vhagar burning in her heart.
But most of all, she felt angry.
I feel different for some reason.
She hadn't felt this much anger in such a long time. She hadn't felt anything in such a long time.
The anger almost feels... right.
Even though Vhagar was gone, she felt a fire returning to her. A deep, bubbling rage that she had kept within her for so long.
I was foolish not to voice my anger and feelings in court before... Gods... what was I thinking?
Laena walked towards her dressing room and looked at wide array of gowns that she had there.
Now I shall do it... something I should've done years ago...
Most of the gowns were black or red, the colour of House Targaryen, her husband's house.
I shall state my intent to everyone in the Red Keep, that Daeron should be the heir...
Her eyes drifted towards one of the dresses at the bottom of pile, however. It was a dress from her childhood, and much too small for her now. She took the dress in her arms, nonetheless, and held it.
I shall declare war on Rhaenyra...
The dress was a beautiful blue.