Author's Note: Hey everyone, as promised here is the second part to episode four's chapters! The final update for episode four will be released either tomorrow or the next day, depending on how much time I have. As always, thank you for the wonderful reviews! I'm so glad to see that so many of you are enjoying Elaena's story. Keep letting me know what y'all think about it/what I could be doing better/what you'd like to see happen. So without further ado, happy reading! -J❤️
Disclaimer: Mature Content
THE DRAGON & THE ROSE - EPISODE FOUR/PART TWO
The Next Day
Elaena spent her morning in the Godswood, her back against the tall weirwood tree as she sat and thought to herself. She couldn't help but replay every moment of what happened the night prior, remembering every single touch and feeling of Daemon in as much detail as she could muster. She didn't know how long it would be before they could have another moment like that. Despite the thrill of it all she knew that it was reckless, so she knew she would have to reign in every bit of restraint she could in the following weeks. Besides, she needed to focus on how it was she was going to get out of having to marry Lucerys. He was a kind boy, that was sure, and the purpose of their marriage was not for each other. But still, she didn't want to vow before The Seven to be his wife when she knew she would rather do it with Daemon.
It was all too much to think about, the worry of it all weighing heavily on her. So that's why she sat in the Godswood. She hoped that perhaps her mother could give her some advice on what to do about it all. At first she didn't want to come, fearing that her mother and the Gods were judging her for her actions. She was an unwed princess who had carnal relations with a married man, more than once.
As she leaned against the tree she looked up to the sky, watching the clouds drift and pass overhead. Even though the Gods couldn't answer her questions on what to do, they could give her a sense of peace.
"Elaena!" she heard Rhaenyra say quickly, her voice flustered sounding.
Elaena sat up and saw her cousin coming towards her, teary-eyed and upset. "Rhaenyra what's the matter?"
"Have you heard?" Rhaenyra asked, her whole body shaking.
"Heard what?" Elaena quickly stood, grabbing Rhaenyra's hands into her own to comfort her.
"The gossip about Daemon," Rhaenyra said, her lip trembling a little. Elaena felt her heart sink, the worst fear she had imagined from last night coming true. But Rhaenyra's next words shocked her even more, "About Daemon and me."
"What?" Elaena asked, feeling bewildered. How could there be gossip about him and Rhaenyra when it was her who was with him last night?
"It's being said that I went to a brothel last night with him, that we-" Rhaenyra stopped, unable to finish her sentence.
"Rhaenyra where did you hear this?" Elaena asked, panic rising in her throat. She felt so guilty that it was Rhaenyra being slandered in her place.
"Alicent," the girl said exasperatedly, "My father knows too but he hasn't spoken to me yet. All she said is that there's talk about the me and Daemon in the throws of scandalous passion outside the Red Keep."
Elaena stood frozen, not knowing what to do or say next. As Rhaenyra looked to her cousin, she could tell that her words weren't as shocking as they should be to Elaena. Her mouth opened a little, her eyes wide, "Elaena, was it you? Did you-"
"Please," Elaena whispered, shaking her head fervently, "Don't say anything, to anyone."
"Why did you do it?" Rhaenyra asked, her voice small as she slowly pulled her hands away from Elaena. She didn't seem like she was judging her cousin, rather more curious than anything.
"It all happened so fast," Elaena explained, putting a hand to her forehead. She felt dizzy, completely thrown off balance. "Daemon he...we-"
"You love him still," Rhaenyra finished for her gently.
"More than anything," Elaena swallowed roughly, nodding once as a tear fell from her eye. "I never thought in a million years that this would have happened, Rhaenyra. I knew the risk for myself, I was willing to take it. But I wouldn't have if I knew that it would be you that is implicated by it all and not me."
"I know," Rhaenyra said quietly, knowing her cousin would never intentionally hurt her like this. "But how did it happen?"
"I don't know...But I promise you I will find out, and I promise I will clear your name."
"Do you think you were being followed?" Rhaenyra asked slowly, her eyes lighting up a little with an idea.
"I didn't see anyone, but maybe? I don't know how else word could have traveled back so quickly," Elaena wondered, feeling her tears dry as she thought harder about it.
"I know I can think of someone looking to get back at you," Rhaenyra thought out loud, looking to Elaena with sharp eyes. "Someone you scorned in front of my father only yesterday."
"The Hand," Elaena whispered, her eyebrows furrowing. "I understand that he hates me, that he would want to get back at me, but what good what it do to attack you?"
"Think about it," Rhaenyra said, squeezing Elaena's hands tighter. "By changing it from being you to me, he gets exactly what he wants. He probably expects my father to react in a way that hurts all three of us. Daemon will likely be exiled for what he did, for tempting his young maiden niece. Which leaves you to marry Lucerys and stay in King's Landing. He'd be exiled and you'd be stuck at court, separating you two forever. He would get to be rid of Daemon and give you an everlasting punishment all in one fell swoop."
"Of course," Elaena exhaled, shaking her head. "And you'd likely be disinherited from the throne, with no prospects of marriage or legitimate heirs of your own. Which means that his grandson, Aegon, would rule."
"It all makes sense," Rhaenyra said, anger growing in her voice.
"You have to admit, it's bloody brilliant," Elaena muttered, feeling the same way as Rhaenyra. He was trying to take out each and every obstacle in his way in one swift move. Elaena could only hope that she might somehow find a way to turn this all around, to reverse the damage. "We need to find Daemon, now. We have to try and-"
"Your Grace," Ser Harrold said loudly, interrupting the two of them. They both turned their heads towards him, their hands still joined together. "The King requests an immediate audience with you."
"I'll come, but only if Princess Elaena would be permitted as well," Rhaenyra responded. Ser Harrold gave a short nod, knowing he had no say whatsoever in the matter either way.
The two turned back to each other, worry in both their hearts. But they turned to follow the knight without question, holding each other's hand in solidarity as they walked into what might be a bloodbath of accusations and lies. Though they couldn't say anything more in his presence, the girls looked to each other with knowing eyes. They knew exactly what they needed to do, whether they had Daemon filled in or not. But the truth was, they didn't need him for this, they could handle what was to come on their own.
Once Ser Harrold led them into the small council chamber, he shut the door behind them, leaving them alone with the King and the Hand. Elaena gave Rhaenyra's hand a small squeeze as they approached, both of their heads lifted high. The two were a walking brigade, shielding each other as they stopped and sat side by side before the King.
He looked positively crazed, his eyes bloodshot and skin pale. He had already been stressed as of late, overwhelmed with the perils that came with ruling. This was the final straw for him, the thing that might send him spiraling into madness.
"Elaena, this doesn't concern you-"
"She's here to defend me, father," Rhaenyra said quickly, "She's here to help me explain."
"Fine, then explain...I need all of you to explain what's happened in the last 24 hours," he said raggedly, his breathing rough. "I don't understand how so much could have happened in such a short amount of time."
Everyone at the table sat silently for a moment, everyone looking to each other before they dared say a word. Elaena first turned to Rhaenyra, giving her a small nod to remind her that they stood together on this. She then turned to the Hand, who sat with a smug look on his face. If it had been just her and him in the room together, Elaena would have gutted him with her sword without a single moment of hesitation. She let him know this with her stare before turning to the King.
"Your Grace," Elaena started slowly, treading very carefully, "Rhaenyra has told me the rumors surrounding her and Prince Daemon...I do not think them true in the slightest."
"No?" the King laughed humorlessly, his eyes lifeless. "Then how is it that they started? Accusations of this nature and extremity do not sprout magically from the earth. They come from somewhere."
"You're right, father," Rhaenyra said stonily, turning to the hand. "They came from him."
"Yes, he's the one who told me-"
"No I mean they were created by him," Rhaenyra seethed. "Another plot of his no doubt."
"Why would I do such a thing?" the Hand asked, "Why would I tarnish the Targaryen name after spending all my life dedicated to strengthening it?"
"To strengthen your own name," Elaena responded. "To get your grandson onto the Iron Throne instead of Rhaenyra."
The King stood still, watching Lord Hightower's reaction to such an accusation, but the Hand's face didn't falter one bit. "I would never act so cruelly with my own self-interest at the heart of it. Your father knows I have lived my whole life as a servant to the house Targaryen. First to his own grandsire Jahaerys, then to himself. I would never create a baseless rumor that jeapordized his daughter's future, that tarnished his own brother's name as well."
"Except you did do just that," Rhaenyra scoffed. "You hate my uncle, you always have. You'll look for any reason to get him exiled. And you hate that I am the heir and not your grandson. This was a perfect lie to take us both out of the equation, to get your greedy hands controlling all the power in the realm."
Elaena's eyes flitted to Lord Hightower, the two of them exchanging a look. They both knew it was her that was in the brothel with Daemon the night before, and if Elaena admitted it to the King, it would be the end for the Hand. It would prove that he lied to attack Rhaenyra, that he spun the truth to maximize the damage done. Elaena stared at him intensely, threatening him with her eyes that she would tell the King if she must. She didn't want to jeapordize her and Daemon's relationship, but Rhaenyra was the closest thing she had to a sister. She would be damned to watch her take the fall for her own actions.
"We can go round and round for days, cousin," Elaena said, turning her eyes from the very nervous Hand to him. "But at the end of the day our arguments will remain the same. Lord Hightower will claim innocence in all this, saying that he was only relaying a rumor he heard himself to you. And I will fight alongside Rhaenyra and claim her own innocence because I know it to be true."
The King looked at her solemnly, waiting for her to continue.
"Our arguments will remain the same so the decision is yours. It's up to you to decide who you believe. Will you trust the word of your Hand, or will you trust your own flesh and blood?" Elaena asked, feeling her breathing intensify. But she wasn't going to stop now. "I admit that Rhaenyra and I have had our fair shares of quarrels within this family, that we haven't always made it easy on you, cousin. But even through them I know that both of us would also do anything to protect the strength and solidarity of our family. Can you honestly say that Lord Hightower would do the same? That he is as loyal to you as your own daughter and cousin?"
"I can assure you that I am a loyal servant, Your Grace," the Hand said coolly, trying to maintain his calm under fire.
"Oh yes, you were a loyal servant when it suited you," Rhaenyra countered, leaning forward in her seat at him. "Elaena's father Vaegon was named heir and Hand of the King by Jahaerys until the unfortunate incident involving her mother, until Vaegon was sent to The Wall. You immediately stepped in as interim Hand while my own father's father was being named the next heir. He then died only five days later, and you assumed the position permanently. For the past few decades the path of your rise has seemingly parted before you as if by magic. Once a young and common lord of the court you rose all the way to grandsire of a Prince, to being the second most powerful man in Westeros. So it's hard for me to believe that your gossip isn't intended to take me out and take you all the way to the end, to be the most powerful man in all of the Seven Kingdoms."
The King's face fell at Rhaenyra's words, as did Elaena's. She didn't know how she had never thought about it before, but Lord Hightower was present at court when her mother was killed by Lynara and her father. He was there this whole time. Could he have also had a hand in that? A hand in her mother's death? The sickening realization hit her like a million bricks all at once, washing over her and turning her skin white as a sheet.
"That's why you tried to have me killed," Elaena muttered, her eyes zeroing in on him.
"Elaena, I thought we put that matter to rest-" The King started, but she didn't care. She could only think one thing.
"Once I found out that it was Lynara and not just my father that killed my mother, you had to have me killed," Elaena said, her lip trembling. "You knew that I would be able to trace it back to you one day, that it was you all along."
"Elaena, what are you talking about?" Rhaenyra asked, grabbing for her cousin's hand to help calm her.
"It wasn't my father or Lynara's idea to kill my mother. It was yours, wasn't it?" Elaena breathed out, feeling her heart rise in her throat.
"This is becoming absurd," the Hand responded, but she could see in his eyes that he was rattled, that he was found out.
"Is it, though?" Rhaenyra asked, looking to her cousin with horror on her face. She sat by Elaena's side, holding her hand tightly as she turned back to her father. "Is it really so unimaginable that he could have done it?"
"Elaena's father killed her mother because he loved and wanted to wed another. Lynara helped because she wanted the same," The King responded, but they could both see the doubt forming behind his face. His relationship with the Hand had been rocky already as of late, especially by Elaena's words at the small council meeting only the day before.
"But what if she didn't want the same thing, Your Grace?" Elaena asked, her eyes filling with tears of rage. "Not once in my life with her did she ever speak a kind word about my father, I always thought it was because of what happened. But I'm starting to think it's because she loved another, that she did what she did for another."
The Hand sat violently still in his chair, unable to restrain the fear in his eyes now. The rest of the room was speechless, everyone turning to look at his reaction to an accusation like this. But Elaena knew that they believed her, that this was not some baseless accusation anymore. The pieces all finally fit together before her eyes, finally showing her the greater picture that was the Hand's hatred for her explained. It took everything in her not to jump across the table and strangle him with her bare hands. Her whole body trembled, quaking with hatred and fury.
"Otto, have you nothing to say in your own defense?" Viserys asked, a horrified look on his face.
"I will not sit here and try to defend myself against such baseless and preposterous accusations, I won't feed into the madness that Princess Elaena is so clearly spiraling into," The Hand spat, trying to appear unfazed.
"I don't think my cousin is mad, Otto," the King said slowly. "And I don't think her accusations are baseless anymore."
"Your Grace?" the Hand asked, fearing what was coming to him.
"The realm owes you a debt for your services, Lord Hightower, one that won't ever be repaid. But your time as my chief councilor is over, I can't trust anything you do or say anymore. Not when this much conspiracy follows you."
"Your Grace, surely you don't believe-"
"I'm not sure what I believe anymore," the King said fiercely. "But I know that I no longer trust your council. I fear that Elaena and Rhaenyra are right, that you may have cunningly paved a path to power for yourself...that you may have forsaken not only my father, but my dear cousin Vaegon to do it. And that you are now trying to forsake these two girls to get your grandson on the throne. I won't criminally charge you since there is no proof, but you are no longer welcome in my court. Go back to Oldtown."
The Hand stood abruptly, anger coursing through his veins as he ripped off the Hand of the King's Pin from his chest. He tossed it out onto the table before him, the small metal object clattering around before falling still.
"You should be grateful for his Grace's mercy, My Lord," Elaena seethed, watching him with hateful eyes. "I would not so easily let you worm your way back into the shadows."
"GRATEFUL?" he bellowed from across the table at her.
"You'd be wise not to raise your voice at my cousin in such a manner, Lord Hightower. You're already treading dangerously too far," Rhaenyra said coolly, smiling only very slightly at their victory.
The Hand turned over his shoulder, leaving them immediately. Elaena knew she should have been happy to see him punished this way, that he was finally getting at least some repercussions to his actions. Being removed as Hand of the King and sent back to Oldtown was a slap in the face for him. But she couldn't bring herself to feel anything other than hatred and anger in this moment. She didn't think it was enough of a punishment for what he did. While there was no real proof other than their speculation and she knew the King couldn't only act on that alone, she wanted to see him pay the ultimate price. She wanted to see his head on a spike, alongside Lynara's.
A Week Later
It had been a week since the Hand was banished from court, and in many ways life felt easier for Elaena with him gone. She wasn't worried about him standing over her shoulder every the second of the day and looking for reasons to oust her from court. But on the other hand the more time that passed meant the closer she was to her wedding. The week had been filled with last minute preparations, for King Viserys and Lord Corlys wanted to solidify this match as hastily as they could. They both knew Elaena to be unpredictable on a good day, and with the idea she had of the Hand planning the murder of her mother clouding her mind, she certainly gave them every reason to doubt that she would follow through with the marriage.
What they didn't realize was that all of this heavy pressure on her only made her feel more like walking away from this marriage. Everything in her life made her want to leave on Vermax's back without looking back. She wanted to find the Hand herself, as well as Lynara, and kill them before they could get away with any of it any longer. It took everything she had in her not to wake up every morning and immediately go to the dragonpit with Reckoning to do this. The only thing that kept her here was Daemon. But with Lord Corlys returning to court with his family, she felt his eyes as well as Viserys' on her like a hawk. They were watching her every move around Daemon, making sure that she would be true to her word. And this was no exception during the garden party to celebrate the engagement of her and Lucerys. Every member of the houses Targaryen and Velaryon were there eating and drinking and laughing, building the pressure on Elaena's shoulders.
She did her best to stay by Rhaenyra's side the entire time, avoiding Daemon as much as she could. After the Hand's exile to Oldtown, she knew that the King had spoken to his brother about the rumours. Elaena assumed all had went well, for Daemon was still here at court, and he was here at the garden party as well. He had to be there out of formality as a Targaryen, but she wished he wasn't. She didn't want him to see her being paraded around as the future wife to another man. And having him there was a constant temptation for her eyes, a looming trap she feared she would fall into.
"So, are you ready?" Lucerys asked her nervously, the two of them standing alone by a long table of extravagant food and drink. "To be married?"
"Are you?" Elaena exhaled, turning to him.
"My position on the matter hasn't changed, Princess," Lucerys responded quietly, "I don't expect you to be my wife in anything other than name."
"I know." Elaena nodded. "It's just a lot of pressure. Marriage is forever you know, until one of us dies at least."
"You don't think Daemon would kill me once we're married, to get me out of the way?" he asked, laughing lightly. It was obviously a joke on his part, but it made Elaena even more anxious than she was before. She wouldn't put it past Daemon to do something like that so he could have her.
"Of course not," Elaena laughed tightly, forcing a small smile. "I wouldn't let him do such a thing."
Elaena then saw Lucerys' father Lord Corlys start to walk over to them, two cups of wine in hand. Elaena felt her body stiffen a little more as she watched him approach. Everything felt like one big test, everyone was interacting with her to judge the sincerity behind every little move she made. She tried to give as warm a smile as she could muster once he offered her the cup of wine, taking it graciously. "Thank you, Lord Corlys."
"I was hoping the two of us could speak alone for a moment. Lucerys, would you go check in on your mother for me?" he asked, turning to his son.
"Of course, father," Lucerys nodded, leaving them at once.
Elaena took a healthy drink from her cup, needing the courage to face Lord Corlys alone. But even this seemed to peek his interest, his eyes watching every move she made. "Sorry, I was quite thirsty," Elaena laughed lightly, trying to smoothly recover.
"It's alright, today is a celebration for you and my son, you shall have all the wine you wish," Lord Corlys responded, taking in a drink himself.
"So what is it you wish to speak with me about?" Elaena asked, trying to mask her nerves.
"I can tell you're anxious, but you shouldn't be. I'm to be your father soon and you my newest daughter," he said, looking out at the party of people around them. "Our houses united once again to strengthen the bond of Old Valyria."
"Yes," Elaena said softly, "I look forward to it."
"Do you?" he asked, turning back to her with narrowed eyes.
"My Lord?" she asked with confusion, trying to keep her hand steady so as not to spill the wine.
"I never properly thanked you for your help in the Stepstones," he started, a small smile on his lips. She felt her whole body turn ice cold at these words. "You helped save my men and you certainly helped save Daemon's life."
Elaena looked away from him, afraid of giving herself away. When she did, she noticed Daemon standing and talking to his brother, but his eyes were on her. He could tell that she was nervous, that she was scared. But before she could be caught locking eyes with him she turned her gaze to the grass below her to listen to Lord Corlys.
"Our King tells me you are not dissuaded from marrying my son, but after the Crabfeeder was defeated I couldn't help but notice how you and the Prince looked at each other. I know you two both still bear love for the other. But I will not have my son publically scorned by you, Princess Elaena, not if I can help it," the Lord of Tides said forcefully, his voice low and dark.
"I promise you, Lord Corlys," Elaena said slowly, fighting the sick feeling in her stomach. "I have every intention of uniting our houses, and none of spurning of your son."
"I don't fear your intentions, Princess, only whether you're going to follow through with them," Lord Corlys responded. "I will not have your family back out of another engagement with House Velaryon, making us all look like fools. My daughter was already cast aside by the King for the Lady Alicent, and if your wedding to my son is somehow put off I'm afraid we will have open strife and struggle between us. For the sake of the strength of my house, I will be forced to look to Essos to make alliances. Can you understand the position it would put me in?"
"Yes, My Lord, I understand quite clearly," Elaena replied, her teeth grinding against each other. He was openly threatening war against the Targaryens if she did not marry his son, which she didn't appreciate in the slightest. His pressure and tactics of intimidation didn't scare her, they angered her. She was a Princess born of royal blood and he was not. His threats only made her want to do the exact opposite. But for the sake of diplomacy she had to comply with him, for now at least.
"Good, I'm glad to hear it," Lord Corlys smiled, bowing before her. "Enjoy the wine and festivities... though, the wedding will surely be an even grander experience."
With that he left her alone to think, returning to his son and wife. Elaena could feel her heart pounding in her chest from anxiety, his words ringing in her ears. What was she going to do? Every option she had previously thought of suddenly seemed so wretched. She could marry Lucerys as planned in the way that the two of them agreed, seeing Daemon whenever she pleased so long as she was careful. But if she were to ever be caught the ramifications brought onto her and him by Lord Corlys would be severe. She didn't want to put Daemon at risk that way, and she knew this arrangement would hurt him to see her with another man. She could also abandon the engagement and run off with Daemon unmarried. She could be with him freely which was what she wanted most, but that would mean war between the Velaryons and Targaryens. And it would also mean she would have to abandon her home, everything she knew. It was all too overwhelming.
She walked away to go be alone, finding a small piece of solace in her own thoughts, but Daemon quickly followed after her. He sensed something was wrong, that she was distressed. But his presence only made Elaena more confused and more panicked.
"Elaena-"
"Not now," she said quietly, walking past him to the shaded canopy of trees of the garden beyond them. He stopped in his tracks, watching as she left to be alone.
She sat on a bench, facing away from the party of people behind her. She couldn't bear to look at it anymore, she couldn't bear to think about it any longer. She felt tears come to her eyes as she stared into the empty part of the green garden before her, wishing her mother was here to help her. When she was a little girl she always imagined having her mother at her side for her wedding, to tell her it was all going to be alright. She wanted nothing more than to just talk to her even for just a minute, even just long enough to see her face. This made Elaena cry harder, her eyes reddening. It had been so long since she'd seen her mother that she realized she was starting to forget what her face looked like. When Elaena tried to picture it in her mind, it looked as if pieces were blurry or missing. And she couldn't fill in the blanks, she couldn't remember what used to be so clear in her memory.
"Are you alright, child?" a woman's voice asked, approaching her.
Elaena quickly sniffled, wiping her eyes before turning to see Rhaenys Velaryon, Lucerys' mother and her own cousin standing there. The woman sat down beside her, a gentle look on her face. Despite the two of them both being Targaryen princesses at court, Elaena hardly knew her cousin.
"I'm sorry, Rhaenys," Elaena whispered, feeling the tears well back up in her eyes. "I'm just a bit overwhelmed."
"I know, I remember how overwhelmed I was before my own wedding day," Rhaenys reminisced, turning her gaze to the flowers and fountains around them.
"You were?" Elaena asked, turning to face the woman. Tears slowly spilled from her eyes as she heard this, the woman's tenderness a vast contrast to her husband's.
"Oh yes," Rhaenys chuckled lightly. "I was so nervous I nearly didn't go through with it. Then again I didn't really have a choice in the matter, and neither do you."
Elaena sat silently, feeling silly in thinking for even a second that she may have been here to only check on her well-being. Rhaenys was here just like her husband had been to make sure that she didn't back out of the marriage.
"We're a lot alike you know, Elaena," Rhaenys continued, her voice calm and smooth. "Like you, I am a Princess, a royal yet with no claim to the throne. We both have the dragon's blood in our veins, but we have no power to use it. We'll always be overlooked and underestimated, only seen as a tools to create alliances through marriage and produce children to carry on our name for the generations to pass. We won't ever get what we want, not truly. It doesn't matter how hard we fight; how much blood, sweat, or tears we put into it. Whatever it is that they want from us, they'll get. There's no use fighting senselessly against the inevitable."
"How can you think like that?" Elaena asked, her sadness being replaced by perplexity. "How can you value your own power so little?"
"On the contrary, I don't," Rhaenys responded, turning to finally look Elaena in the eyes. "I know myself to be powerful, as I know you to be as well. I only mean that there are certain battles not worth fighting. You know the one for you of which I speak."
Elaena pursed her lips a little, turning away from the woman. She had nothing more to say to her. Despite the less threatening overtones present in her words than Corlys, Rhaenys spoke with the same intention as he did. They were both trying to keep her from Daemon, to keep her in line with what they wanted her to do. But she didn't need them overexerting themselves onto her, she already knew what was expected of her and what would happen if she didn't live up to those expectations.
"You may not like me saying this, Elaena, but think of what Emylie would have wanted for you," Rhaenys said, these being her final words to the girl. Elaena snapped her head to the woman, feeling her heart race with anger for hearing her invoke her mother's name. "She would have wanted you to be far from the gossip of the court, happily married with children of your own to raise-"
"Don't act like you have any right to speak for what my mother would have wanted for me," Elaena said harshly, standing from her seat with sharp eyes. "She would have wanted me to make my own choices, not to be bullied into decisions being made for me by all of you."
"That may be true, but I did know her longer than you did," Rhaenys said, her tone cooler now. Elaena felt a stab of pain in her chest from these words. Despite them being true, Emylie Tryell was her mother above all else. Elaena was born from her flesh and love, not Rhaenys. "I know in my heart that she would have wanted a stable and happy life for you. So think about it, think about the kinds of lives you could lead with each option before you. You and I both know what the best one is, and that's my son."
"Don't ever presume to talk to me about my mother again," Elaena whispered, angry tears falling from her eyes. "If you do, it will be the last time you ever say anything at all."
"Careful, Elaena," Rhaenys said calmly, turning to leave. "You already have enough enemies in this world. Best not make me one of them."
Elaena watched as the woman left, every inch of her being quivering with anger. As soon as the woman was back to speaking with the other people of the celebration, Elaena turned and went the opposite way. She walked through the vast garden away from the celebration until she found an exit, leaving without another word. She wouldn't stay there and allow herself to continue to be belitted and berrated by the Velaryons. She just couldn't. Her feet clicked loudly on the stone floors as she rushed towards the Godswood, trying to hold the rest of her tears in until she got there. But once she was reached the archway leading to it, she saw Daemon already waiting for her under the weirwood tree with gentle eyes.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, wiping her eyes. She didn't want him to see her like this.
"I thought you might come here, I thought you might need it."
"You should be back out there with the rest of them."
"As should you, it is your engagement party after all," Daemon said quietly. He walked slowly towards her, envelopping her weak frame into his arms. She immediately folded into him, unable to keep the tears back any longer as she fell into his comforting embrace.
"I can't do it, Daemon," she cried.
"It's going to be alright, Elaena," he said softly, running his hands through her hair. He then rested his hand on the back of her head, holding her close to him. "We're going to find a way through it all."
"How?" she muttered against his chest, "I feel like I'm going to explode from all the secrecy and lies as it is."
"Look at me," he said, pulling her head back gently. He placed his hands on her cheeks, brushing the tears that ran down them away with this thumbs. "You are not alone. As much as I hate it you're going to marry the Velaryon cunt, but it won't stop either of us from being together. I'm in this alongside you no matter what."
"I know," she nodded, biting her lip. "But I don't think I can bear to see you get hurt from it, from what would happen if we were caught."
"What did Lord Corlys say to you?" he asked, his voice slowly turning from gentleness to anger.
"It doesn't matter-"
"Did he threaten you?" Daemon asked, searching her eyes for the truth.
"Everyone is threatening me," she whispered, shaking her head hopelessly, "From the Velaryons to your own brother. They are all doing everything they can to let me know that I have no choice in the matter. That I am to wed Lucerys and leave you behind for good."
"I won't let them keep you from me, do you understand? No matter the consequences to me," Daemon said, his eyes fierce as he spoke.
"That's what I'm afraid of," she said softly, stepping away from him. His hands slowly dropped to his side, his face falling a bit as she spoke. "I'm not willing to put you in harm's way just so that I can get exactly what I want. I'm not willing to let you get killed by the Velaryon's wrath if they find you in my bed."
"It's going to take a lot more than the bloody Sea Snake to kill me, Elaena, to keep me from you," Daemon responded more seriously than she foresaw him doing so.
The two stared at each other for a moment silently, at yet another impasse with each other. Elaena's heart pounded in her chest as she stared into his eyes, then turned as she saw a figure approach them. When she saw that it was Daemon's squire, she breathed out with a bit of relief. The last thing she needed was to be caught alone with him right now.
"My Prince, I have urgent news for you," the squire said with his eyes on the ground, looking terribly afraid for Daemon's reaction.
"What is it?" Daemon asked, narrowing his eyes at the man for interrupting him.
"Two letters, Your Grace," the squire said nervously, "The first is from the Vale."
"Let's see what my bronze bitch has to say now," Daemon took the scroll in hand, breaking the seal off and flinging it into the grass.
"I should go-" Elaena started, feeling uncomfortable all of a sudden.
"No, stay," Daemon said strongly, then looked to the side at his squire. "You can go now."
"I'm sorry, Your Grace, but there is one more letter... addressed to both you and the Princess Elaena."
Elaena took the scroll from him, nodding once to beckon him to go. The squire bowed, seeming thankful to be given leave. He rushed away, leaving Elaena and Daemon alone again in the Godswood. Elaena watched Daemon's reaction as he read the words from the Vale. At first he seemed annoyed by it all, but then his face fell, his eyes wide and stunned.
"What is it?" Elaena asked, unable to fight her curiosity any longer. Daemon didn't respond, only handing her the scroll to read for herself silently. She took it slowly, then read the inked in words carefully.
To Prince Daemon Targaryen,
It is with regret that I write to you to inform you of your wife and my sister, Lady Rhea Royce's death.
Elaena immediately looked up to Daemon, an instant fear that he had been behind it flashing through her mind.
"Keep reading," he said solemnly, looking down at the scroll with a nod of his head.
Our Lady of the Vale took her own life last night, jumping through the moon door in the throne room. While it was thought to be the malicious act by another, it was soon discovered that she did it herself in the presence of three other members of the court. Our Lady has been in low spirits for some time, and took her own life. We have yet to find the body among the rocks. Again, Your Grace, I am very sorry to be the one to bear this news to you. I have written to your brother the King as well to inform him of this tragedy.
Frederik Royce, Lord of the Vale
Despite having finished the letter, Elaena stood in shock staring at the words. Daemon was no longer married. After a moment of processing this she looked up to him, folding the letter tightly in hand. His face grim, but eyes obviously overjoyed. But before she could allow herself to feel the relief of this news, of what it could mean for her, she quickly looked down at her hands and opened the second scroll.
"We need to read this as well," she finally said, feeling her heart race.
"Elaena-"
"We need to open it before we say anything else," she breathed in deeply, "It could be more news about what's happened."
"Alright," he agreed, but he obviously only wanted to discuss the contents of the first.
"To Prince Daemon Targaryen and Princess Elaena Targaryen," she began, reading aloud. "My name is Syriel, I was one of the many that was tasked by His Grace Prince Daemon following the end of the war in the Stepstones to track down Lynara Stark, so that she may answer for her treacheries against the Princess. I write to you now to inform you both that Lady Stark has been spotted at Cider Hall with the former Hand of the King, Lord Otto Hightower. The two are traveling together with his men back to Oldtown as we speak. I will continue to follow them there and send more news when it comes. Until then, I await your next command..."
Elaena looked up to Daemon, her eyes wide. She had never known that he had done this, that he had sent his own men once he found out what happened to find her.
"You never told me you were having her tracked," Elaena whispered, clutching the note tightly.
"I didn't want to tell you only to have you disappointed if nothing came of it," Daemon said quietly, trying to analyze her reaction to all this news. He knew in his heart exactly what he wanted to do with all this information, but he was waiting for her word before he said it. "Tell me what you're thinking right now."
"I don't know what I'm thinking," she responded, suddenly feeling paralyzed.
"Yes you do," he nodded, swallowing roughly. "You know exactly what you're thinking, you're just afraid to say it."
"I'm thinking that I want to go get Vermax and find them," Elaena responded, avoiding what he was really inquiring about.
"You can't leave, not now, not until you've made your decision," he said more roughly now, the suspense of it eating at him. He took a step towards her, closing the distance between them.
"Daemon-"
"You said before all of this that the only thing standing in our way of being together was my wife. That you wouldn't do anything to take her out of the equation. I respected that and I waited for you... for us to find another way... I was willing to let you marry another man so that I could still have some part of you to myself, but now we don't have to do that. The only thing that could stop us now, is you," he said, his breath ragged as he waited for her response.
"If we do this," she began slowly, her heart racing in her ears, "We'll be declaring a political war with the Velaryons. They will have been scorned one too many times to-"
"I don't care," Daemon said strongly, grasping her face with his hands. "I would kill a hundred thousand men if they tried to stand between us without blinking an eye, including the bloody Sea Snake. So fuck the Velaryons, fuck anyone else besides us. And fuck what they think about any of it. I am yours, and yours alone. And you are mine. I will follow you to the ends of the earth and you know it. I will leave here today with you and our dragons to find Lynara and Hightower. I will hold them down as you cut through their flesh, if that is what you wish. But only if you stay with me, only if you don't stand in the way of what you know we both truly want."
Elaena rested her hands on his wrists, keeping his own around her face as she looked up to him silently.
"I'm asking you to marry me, Elaena, to choose me once and for all," he continued, the fever in his voice high. "So will you?"
Elaena looked at him with wide eyes, feeling the smallest of smiles grow on her lips, "Yes."
Author's Note: Hot damn! We had a lot to cover, and that meant a lot of dialogue with a lot of different people in this chapter. I'm sorry if it didn't feel as exciting as other chapters may have been, but I need to get the foundation of it all finalized so that we can prepare ourselves for the impending time jump!
What did you all think of this chapter and what was revealed? We finally get to see the Hand's true underlying motive for wanting Elaena gone, and we finally get to see him banished from court! Hip-hip-hooray! Unfortunately his absence won't be felt for long. We also see that Rhea Royce is dead, leaving Elaena able to finally choose Daemon. But with this choice will obviously come with consequences of its own...so what do you think?
Were you surprised that the rumour was about Rhaenyra still and not Elaene? How will the Velaryons react to her choosing to marry Daemon over Lucerys? How is Elaena going to find Lynara and the Hand to exact her justice? And what will happen when the dreaded time jump comes in after next week's episode? Let me know what you all think, and thank you for reading! -J❤️