Before you proceed, fair warning, this fic is not friendly to Rhaegar or Lyanna. And if you are fans of Lannisters, or Elia being a sweet, gentle queen, click the back button right now. This fic is not for you.
Inspired by: watch?v=XE20bRfv17k
Or if you prefer the shorter version; watch?v=sRpTZwoa8-I
If anyone does not has the patience to see this, then this is inspired by the Magnificent Century, Kosem. To summarize, Kosem Sultan, wife of Ottoman Sultan Ahmet. She had 4 sons, two stepsons, one of whom was the eldest, Usman, the heir to the throne, raised by her. Her husband was famous for going against the law of new kings killing their own brothers to prevent civil war and spared his youngest, and at the time only brother Mustafa. But Mustafa's mother and sister's constant scheming led him to be imprisoned and he started to lose his mind.
Kosem feared that when her husband died due to health reasons, her sons would kill each other. So the night the sultan died, she wrote a law about the succession and used his ring to stamp it. With that, she went to Mustafa's mother, and hatched a plot to place Mustafa on the throne. Suffice to say, this didn't work for her.
Her children imprisoned in the place and her exiled from there, she started to plan to dethrone Mustafa, and was successful. But Usman, her stepson, was already against Kosem. He enforced her exile from the palace, and killed her eldest son, and imprisoned others. She was at her wit's end, but didn't stop scheming in the fear that her remaining children would face the same fate. But on the other hand, Mustafa's mother, sister, and his sister's husband took advantage of the whole situation. They started a small rebellion in the capital, and somehow dragged Usman from his safehouse to the street, humiliating and torturing him. Kosem arrived to save Usman, and ordered her guards to take him to another safe house, but the damage was done. Being blackmailed into placing Mustafa on the throne again, she accepted defeat, but when she arrived back to tend to Usman, she only saw his corpse on the floor, and learned that Mustafa's loyalists had sent assassins to kill him and his two children. This was the point that truly broke her. She didn't break when her father died, she didn't stop when her sister died, she didn't admit defeat when her husband and later her son died.
She snapped. She stopped being ruled by her morals and killed all of her enemies. For me, this drama was not about her transformation from a slave to a powerful Queen Regent, but more of a transformation of a young innocent girl that couldn't bear to hurt others, to a ruthless, cold queen who will, later on, live kill her own sons. Her journey is painful because you can't help but wonder how such a good person came out of all the troubles and tragedies, but she didn't emerge unscathed. She lost her soul in the process. This is compounded by a scene in the ending of season 2 when Kosem was confronted by her younger version, Anastasia, who screamed at the queen that she was a murderer.
My Elia is very OOC, but meh, I have never come across such a version of her. So, enjoy :)
Disclaimer: I don't own GoT.
It was a bright, sunny day.
Dowager Queen Elia was satisfied with all the preparations done for her son's coronation. But still, she kept a close eye on everything. Aegon deserved the best, and she won't tolerate even a single mishap.
After all, she waited for this day so long, and now it was here, against all the odds stacked against her and her children.
"I won't accept this, Rhaegar! You will not set me and my children aside for a half-grown girl! You will not break your vows that you made in front of the Seven and the whole realm!"
"Your Majesty! The Princess has inquired about your whereabouts. She said that the royal seamstress is here with your gown, and she also requested that you have a light brunch. She doesn't want you to overtax yourself."
Elia smiled. Her beautiful daughter was so headstrong, she still couldn't believe it was the same Rhaenys who was once so scared of every stranger, she would flinch when anyone came near her, even her father.
She considered herself very lucky that she had started to carry vials of poison, along with a poison coated blade. Suicide wasn't ideal, but it was much better than her and her children being burned. She would kill Aegon and Rhaenys herself before she let them burn.
When she heard that Rhaegar had won, she still didn't let her guard down. The Crown Prince would come back with his paramour, and she couldn't take any chances. And her paranoia worked in her favor.
Tywin Lannister somehow managed to smuggle his assassins in the Red Keep in the chaos. She was lucky that she had just put her children to sleep in the nursery, locking the door. When that beast of a man attacked her, she wasn't distracted. Swiftly kicking him between his legs, she unsheathed her blade, quickly plunging it in the Mountain's eye. He had arrogantly assumed that she wouldn't fight back, and this mistake cost him his life.
Making sure that he was dead, Elia went outside silently, making sure to activate all her traps, fervently thanking Oberyn and his tendency to prank her all the time in her mind. Using the same traps that she used to set for her brother worked like a charm against her enemies, albeit lethal. It wasn't her fault people were too stupid to recognize the acid.
"Tell her that I will meet her in my solar. And bring something from the kitchens for her and me. I am sure that she hasn't eaten anything herself. Also, try to find the Crown Prince and invite him too. I don't want both of them to stress themselves too much.
The servant bowed and hastened off to carry out her orders. Elia looked out at the city from her balcony, sweeping her gaze from one corner to another to find any hint of discrepancy.
"Annulment is not done one-sided, my lord. You are neither a King not the Head of the Faith. You don't have the authority to annul our marriage and make my children bastards. Neither I nor any representative of my family agreed to this farce. And you can be damn sure I won't agree to make Rhaenys and Aegon bastards."
"Elia, you have to understand. I am doing this for the good of all."
Eli seethed, "Who's good? Mine or yours? Because there is nothing good for me in this so-called settlement."
Rhaegar sighed. "Your children won't be harmed, it's my promise to you. Just quietly agree to this, Elia. You will be married to a Lord Paramount of good station. But you have to understand, I can't let you have your children. I won't tolerate another rebellion."
She sneered, "Marry? More like sold as a chattel to some old moron who won't let me see the light of day? Who is it? Tully? Arryn? Or maybe Lannister? Lannister owes me a debt, and I will make sure he pays it in full. For the other Rebel lords, they can't go unpunished. And you know what? I would have believed you, had you not named your newborn son Aegon. So much for not harming my children, eh?"
He blanched, quickly turning pale. "How did you know that?"
Turning her back, she gazed at the various tapestries and carved signs, depicting the various victories of the Targaryen dynasty. "Your first mistake was hiding your mistress in Dorne. Your second mistake was assuming that Dayne family will be as loyal to you as Arthur. And your final mistake was underestimating me. Lyanna Stark is in our custody, along with her newborn child. I sent my children to Dorne as soon as I realized that their enemies got so bold due to your actions that they would kill them in broad daylight. And don't make the mistake of keeping me as a hostage or sending someone to find them in Dorne. You won't find them anywhere, and I will kill myself before you could leverage me. Dorne remained independent from the Targaryen dynasty for a long time, and we still have many allies to help us."
"Mother! Ari told me you haven't eaten anything yet."
Rhaenys entered her room, dragging her sheepish brother behind her, who looked like he had gotten into a fight with a tree and haven't gotten out of that fight victorious.
"By Seven, Aegon! Where were you? You look like a wildling. Why are leaves sticking out of your head? And," she paused, squinting, "is that a bird in your hair?"
Hearing this, Aegon frantically patted his head, carefully extracting a white baby pigeon out of the nest called hair, looking at the bird with such intensity, hoping to get the answer of why it was in his hair. Rhaenys cackled from her place at the table, her amusement clear at her brother's plight.
Elia could only shake her head at her children's antics. Raising her eyebrow at her son, she started, "Aegon. You are going to be a King. You have to leave this childishness behind. I know you would prefer to spend all day in the woods among your animals, but we can't afford that. You have a responsibility to all of us."
At her small speech, her children sobered up, any trace of amusement gone from their faces. Aegon strode with grace, coming to a stop in front of her. Staring into her eyes, he only said, "I know mother. I would not fail you."
Elia sighed, placing her hand on his cheek. "I know, my love. You are not selfish. You will fulfill your duty, just like we all did. I don't want you to erase you're being just for the sake of this kingdom, but I also do not want you to forget what we had to do to survive."
She had to protect her children, and for that, she had to be ruthless. This is why when the mob lynched apart the Lannister lord, she didn't flinch. She didn't say anything when Jaime stared at her with betrayal in his eyes when the sword separated his neck from his body. She didn't hesitate when she sent soldiers to Lannister's castle in the quiet of night to erase them after declaring them traitors to the Crown. She made sure that Jaime and Tywin learned their dear Cersei's fate before their death. Jaime, the young knight, who followed her through the castle with false promises of protection, where was he when his father's men attacked her, intending to rape her and kill her along with her children? He was too busy enjoying his victory over the Mad King. She wasn't interested in second chances and redemption. She didn't relish in the anguish of father and son upon hearing how their precious lioness was raped to death, just like they intended to do with Elia. But she relishes in the fact that she made an example of her enemies, and now, when people will remember the Lannisters, they won't remember Rains of Castamere, they will remember the Rage of Dorne. They will remember her, Queen Elia Martell, and they won't dare to harm her children.
"Enough of this. Today is the day for celebration. Eat now, and enjoy this peace, because it won't last long. Both of you are young and can stand long ceremonies, but I am finding my patience waning. I don't know how long I can go without insulting someone for being an idiot."
At this, both siblings shared grins, remembering all the previous times their mother tore someone into pieces with her words, having a unique talent of making anyone feel small in front of her. The small family sat around the small table, nibbling at the delicacies spread in front of them and discussing the preparations done for the day.
She eyed the defeated lord in front of her. True, Ned Stark didn't have any choice but to raise his banners, but did he have to go with his foster brother's foolishness? Lord Arryn egged Robert Baratheon to take the crown for himself, and the Baratheon lord declared in front of everyone that he will purge the world from "dragon spawns", and Ned Stark didn't stop them. That wasn't fighting for survival. She could forgive that, but she won't tolerate any threat to her children.
"Speak openly, my lord. I don't bite."
Startled from his thoughts, Lord Stark raised his head, looking at her for the first time they both sat down.
"I-", he cut himself off, and then took a long breath, clearly struggling to compose his thoughts. "I just want to meet my sister."
She frowned. "Impossible. That can't happen."
"Dammit!" He suddenly cursed, banging his hands on the chair he was seated in. "How much will your family take away from mine? I just want her back! If she can't stay in the North, then she can at least stay here in the Kings Landing. What's wrong with wanting that?"
She narrowed her eyes, infuriated his insinuations, and stated in a warning tone. "What's wrong? I will tell you what's wrong, Stark. Your sister birthed a bastard, and named him Aegon. What message does that send to everyone? That she is not an innocent maiden. She clearly knew what she was doing. You can't say that we didn't warn your family about her. You just ignored it. And it wasn't my family that "took" anything from you. Your brother was foolish, he knew that the King was insane, but still, he came in here, shouting at the top of his lungs, demanding Rhaegar to face him. Did he expect to be welcomed with smiles and open arms?
You talk about honor, Lord Stark. The whole North does. Where was that honor, when your "innocent" sister seduced a married man with children? Where was that honor when she birthed a bastard, clearly intending to rob my children from their birthright? Where was that vaunted honor of yours when your friend vowed to kill all the Targaryens, including my innocent children? Where was that same honor when your brother and father scoffed at my uncle, warning him that if he said something regarding your she-wolf again, they won't hesitate to kill him. You Northerners don't have honor, Stark, you just like to think that you are better than anyone." She hissed, then took a moment to calm herself, and then started again.
"There is no use in dragging this. You are the one who was defeated, not another way around. You have no right to make demands from me. I will not let your sister enter this kingdom until I have rooted out every possible threat to my children, and when she comes here, you can be assured that I will not tolerate her antics that can have even a minimal effect on my children's future. Besides", here she stopped to look at him in his eyes, "you should worry about yourself. You are one of the rebels. Rhaegar and I don't see eye to eye on everything, but one thing we agree on is that we can't let this rebellion go unpunished. The only reason we are not punishing you heavily is that your family suffered heavy losses at the hands of the previous king. You will be monetarily compensated for your family members' death, but there will be no compensation for what your sister did."
At this, she stood up and made a parting shot. "Make no mistake, Lord Stark. One toe out of line, and I will make sure the whole North will remember what I will do to you. And one more thing," she stopped at the door, "your heir will come here, and will stay in Kings Landing until he comes of age. You were worried about your sister, no? Well then, rest assured, your son can be her and her bastard's companion. Or who knows, he will come to resent them both for being the reason he is not with his family. Only time will tell."
After having a light meal, all three members of the royal family went off to their rooms to prepare themselves. Servants fluttered around, carrying various articles of clothing, and adornments. Everyone was under strict orders to be on time. Elia gazed at her reflection in the mirror, twisting the ring that her good mother gifted her when she came to the capital the first time.
"Your mother was my friend", Rhaella confided in her, gazing at the depths of its gems. "Did you know that she gave this ring to me? She said that this was the ring for Queens. That it was worn by the great rulers of the past. She hoped that this will bring me good luck. Everyone knows how that turned out." She said bitterly.
Then she suddenly turned towards the young Princess. "Here, keep it. Maybe it will make you the Queen your mother hoped I would have been."
Shaking herself out of her thoughts, she checked herself once in the mirror, nodding to herself, and then started to walk down the courtyard, from where the procession would start. Rhaenys was already standing there, with Viserys beside her. Daenerys was also there, along with her husband and both her nephews Jaehaerys and Daeron. If Elia thought of her true successor, it was Dany. Dany was the only one who truly understood what Elia had to do. The Queen had raised both siblings along with her children, as Rhaella had died in the childbirth, stress weakening her body. It was Elia that protected them, took care of there every need, and defended them from the vultures that surrounded all of them. And both of them returned her love tenfold. Dany, restless in the Seven Kingdoms, dragged her protesting brother with her to Bravos to launch a campaign against slavery, and soon, her good sister had a Kingdom of her own to rule.
"I am not blind, Elia," Dany told her the day before she was about to leave with her brother. "I know you intended to give Westerlands to Viserys and Summerhall to me, but Vis refused to go to Westerlands. He wants to stay with you. And I don't blame him. He couldn't take the chance of someone using us against you and Aegon. But as long as I am here, no one would truly leave us. And Vis and I, we can't ignore that. You can't always protect both of us as long as Rhaegar is the King. He may mean well, but I can't take the chance that he won't do anything to us for his prophecy. I want to forge my path."
Seeing her whole family, her whole being was filled with contentment and satisfaction. This is what she fought for, what she sacrificed for.
After three long years in which Elia made sure to root out each one of her opponents, she allowed Lyanna to come to the capital along with her son. Hoster Tully, Jon Arryn and Robert Baratheon were executed. Eddard Stark was confined to the Northern region, with his heir being held hostage at the capital. She made sure that the Vale lordship went to some distant relations of Arryns who didn't have that much loyalty to their relatives. Vale was not happy that their lord married a girl who was already rumored to be with a child, so Lysa Tully was sent back to Riverrun to her uncle, who was regent for his nephew, Edmund Tully until he came of age. Stannis Baratheon was pardoned, but his younger brother was being held hostage at Casterly Rock, which she had temporarily given to her younger brother. Oberyn already had a keep in Dorne which went unused, and he protested when she tried to give him the former Lannister seat. So the castle and land were being held in trust for future Targaryens, as Viserys was already the Prince of Summerhall, the castle being rebuilt. She had hoped that when Viserys grew up, he would be agreeable to become the Lord Paramount of Westerlands, but until now, she was unsuccessful. She also started to set aside some money for the abandoned castles in Westerlands and the Seven Kingdoms, using money and lands as incentives for her loyalists instead of marriage prospects. As for those oath-breaking Kingsguards, she made it clear that they would only remain in service till the end of Rhaegar's reign. She did not wanted turncoats around her children and wards, so she handpicked their guards and future Kingsguards herself. Many of Rhaegar's loyal fanatics were warned to stay in their limits around her family, or else.
Soon, Aegon arrived, along with his Kingsguards. Both her children looked resplendent, Rheanys wearing a simple circlet along with some simple jewelry, but Aegon's head was bare. He kissed her ring, and touched it on his forehead, helping his mother on the wheelhouse. A moment later, he kissed his sister on her forehead and helped her after Elia. After hugging all his remaining family members, everyone prepared braced themselves for the public viewing. Soon, the procession started towards the Grand Sept, carrying the soon to be King and his family.
Just because she was ruthless for her children didn't meant the she didn't felt guilt over her actions. She heard the screams of Lannister women in her sleep, haunting her dreams. She made sure that children would be spared, but other than that, she didn't do anything. See Gregor died boasting how he would rape her and crush her children's head, and how Lannisters would repay him for his services. They would have their queen, but for that, Elia had to die, as they will not let any danger to their power exist. The whole family was filled with snakes, and the only way she would survive was to crush them. But her guilt kept her awake at night. The only consolation she had was that not even once she heard her children screaming.
Looking out at the population of the city, she ordered her servants to give out the coins she brought with her for this purpose. She will never forget what a mob will do in its fury, still remembering how she lured Tywin Lannister in the city with the false news of King asking for help, and how a few days later of her wayward husband arriving in the capital, she threw him out in the street with his hand and feet bound after informing him of Lannister's fate. She riled up the crowd, until people were frothing like rabid animals, they tortured the fallen lord until he died in agony. The public was useful to her, but only when she held their favor.
Tywin Lannister didn't realize that Elia was still alive. Assured in his victory, he didn't think much when he received the King's summons, bringing only a few soldiers and his brother with him. It was only when he reached the throne room that he realized how badly he failed. Seeing Elia on the throne along with some Dornish guards would be the scene that haunted him along with his daughter's fate that stayed with him until he took his last breath, cursing the day he thought that Martells were weak.
Soon the procession arrived at the Sept, and Elia got out with the help of a Kingsguard. She was starting to feel pain in her joints, her body getting older than its age because of her poor health. But still, she won't let her health get in her way of celebrating this day. This is what she worked for, and she deserved to face what her actions brought upon her, whether it be good or bad. She had stopped wondering long ago how the Gods would punish her. At least whatever she earned was because of her actions, not because of someone else deciding what her fate would be.
Elia knew what she was doing wasn't good or honorable. But keeping Rhaegar's family hostage wasn't ideal, but she didn't have any choice. She had come so far that she couldn't return even if she wanted to.
Rhaegar had truly underestimated her. In the days between the Mad King's death and his arrival at the capital, she had systematically rooted out her good father and husband's sycophantic sympathizers. She took great pleasure in cutting of Varys tongue and killing him after ringing out every secret that he had hidden in his mind. She decimated the pyromancers guild, and quietly poisoned, assassinated or disappeared anyone who dared to even say a word against her children. Oberyn's timely arrival with his sellswords helped her immensely. Accusing officials of being traitors left and right, she led her purge that couldn't be stopped even after her husband arrived.
"When can they come to the capital?" Rhaegar had asked her after the day he stormed off upon hearing that his second wife and son were being held, hostage.
She glanced at him, uninterested in his apparent anguish. "We haven't gotten to the point where we can negotiate, my lord. You haven't even heard my terms."
Contrary to the previous day, he was alert, giving her his full attention. "Alright. What do you want?"
She looked at him, her mind racing with half-formed plans. There was so much left to do, and she won't tolerate her foolish husband's interference. "Cease this talk of annulment of our marriage. I will not tolerate it anymore. Love her and her bastard all you want, but you will not write my children out of the line of succession. You will have no say over who they marry, in short, your only role in their lives will be the illusion of protection. I will discipline my children, I will be the one to teach them everything, and your mother if she wants to. The same goes for your brother and sister. Also, you will not interfere with how I deal with our enemies and the traitors. And I will hold a court of my own, and again, you won't have any say over how I run it."
At this, he rose out of his chair, protesting, but she held her hand, and he stopped. She continued. "You can make her your second queen if you want to, but she will not have any authority over my household. In fact, she won't have any kind of authority over me and mine. And you can legitimize her son, but you have to acknowledge in front of the realm that he was born a bastard, and any children you both will have will come after my children and your siblings."
"That's cruel, Elia. He is just a baby."
She lowered her voice to a menacing whisper, "what she intended to do with me and my children was far more crueler. At least your bastard will have both parents to love. She wasn't going to let my children even have that."
Rhaegar gazed at her tiredly. She didn't care. She had been tired for a long time. But she won't stop now. She had to survive for her children.
She smiled at the sight of her younger brother and his daughters along with his wife standing in the sept. Oberon was the only one after her children who truly cared for her. Doran was apathetic towards her, and she returned that tenfold. Ashara, who promised to be with her until the end, left her at the fear of her child's father being discovered. Arthur, who claimed to love her, betrayed her in the worst ways possible. Everyone left her but her brother.
"He had been asking for you. Will you grant his request?" Oberon twirled a dagger in his hands, seemingly bored of the conversation.
Upon hearing this, Elia lifted her head from the registers detailing the wealth Lannister had left behind. She intended to buy all the debts Crown owed to various parties in her name, so she claimed the money and property that came from Westerlands after Lannister's demise. After the inevitable return of Lyanna Stark, she needed every single weapon she can wield against her and Rhaegar.
"I am talking about Arthur, your knight."
"He is no knight of mine", she sneered, her features twisting into hatred at the mention of that name. "What he is, is a traitor, plain and simple."
Oberyn gazed at her, his eyes glinting with dark amusement. "He still imagines himself in love with you. I hope you are going to break his heart in the most painful way possible."
"Oh, I am going to break more than his heart," Elia reassured him. She had already sent a letter to Starfall, clearly stating that Arthur was a traitor to Dorne and her children. So they can choose to disown him themselves, taking away the privileges that came with the name Dayne, one of which was his beloved sword Dawn, or she would do it herself, humiliating the whole family in the process. Arthur was as much of a traitor to her as the rebel leaders. To her surprise, Lord Dayne agreed with her without much protest. She had to hand it to him. He wasn't anything like his siblings. For a brief moment, she thought to legitimize Ashara's child, but then she stopped herself. Ashara didn't care what would happen to Elia and her children when she left without informing anyone, so why should Elia care?
She swept her gaze through the great hall of the sept, noting the expressions of every lord paramount, and filing away that information for later. She gave a small smile to Shireen Baratheon, who upon meeting her gaze, quickly ducked her head. Elia chuckled. That girl had many good qualities, but she was too timid because of her greyscale scars. She had seen Aegon looking at that girl from afar with a dreamy expression, and was glad that she didn't allow Rhaegar any word in her children's marriage prospect. She wouldn't have tolerated her children paying for their father's mistake. Maybe she would have gotten many great alliances if she had done so, but had done all that bloodshed for her children's happiness. Squashing some upstarts won't be difficult again.
"You need allies, girl. You can't secure your son's future by being obstinate." Olenna Tyrell stated in a smug tone. Elia kept her expression smooth in return, not showing any reaction. Tyrells had come for the celebration of the birth of a third prince, the second son that Lyanna had given to Rhaegar. Elia was conflicted, should she celebrate that her husband's dreams of the second coming of Aegon the conquer and his wife were smashed to pieces, or should she dread at the possibility of another dance of dragons? For now, she chooses to be passive towards the whole matter.
During all of this, Tyrells had been getting on her nerves, with their thinly veiled insults.
"And how do you think I should do that?"
Olenna gazed at her in a patronizing manner. "Make marriage betrothal's with strong families, of course."
Still not giving any visible reaction, Elia replied, "And I suppose by a strong family, you meant yours."
Olenna chuckled at her straight forward answer. "Well, it will be something that will be beneficial to both of us. Tyrells will get their queen, and your son will get the security and might of Reach behind him. Consider it a payment of Tyrells loyalty to the Iron Throne."
Elia fumed. This woman thought she can be easily cowed, but she will disabuse that notion quickly.
"Lannisters also wanted their daughter to be queen, and look where they are today. If Tyrells wanted to be rewarded more than they were bestowed at the end of the rebellion, then you can promise your daughter to Prince Jaehaerys."
At this, the Tyrell matriarch asked furiously, "Are you threatening me, girl? You, a weak Dornish whore, what can you do?"
Elia stood, fed up with this conversation. "No, I am not threatening you,I am warning you."
A few moon's turns later, the news of Margery Tyrell's betrothal to the Hightower heir spread like a wildfire. Apparently, there had been some unrest in Reach, and the Tyrells had to pacify their bannermen by promising all their children to the heirs of the lords of the region. Elia only smiled mysteriously when she heard that.
Watching her stepsons, who walked alongside Aegon, she couldn't help but take a relieved breath at the fact that Princes Jaehaerys and Daeron were loyal to her son. Next to his tall and broad-shouldered brothers, Daeron looked like a little doll with pale blond hair and violet eyes, his earlier years of sickness taking a great toll on his small body.
She wasn't blind. Cracks were already starting to show in the facade put in front of everyone by the King and his she-wolf. Rhaegar started to blame Lyanna for seducing him away from his first wife. Everyone was surprised when the new master declared that Elia was healthy and still could bear children. But she never let her husband even touch her again, and she made sure he knew she was repulsed by him. Lyanna, on the other hand, accused him of taking away her freedom, and his unfulfilled promises of her children being the next rulers. They both thought that they kept their fights secret, but servants were always observant, and more than that, they answered to her only.
But in all of this, both the King and his Wolf Queen had started to neglect their children. She once found the little Prince Jae crying his heart out near his brother's crib. For the first time, Elia felt something other than a sense of danger towards the small child.
She kneeled and asked him. "What's wrong, little one?"
The little boy kept sniffling, and he answered between hiccups, "Dae is sick, but Mama does not likes to see him, and Father won't even look at me when I got hurt. I didn't do anything wrong, I swear! The servants don't like us, they are mean to us and they lie to father about me! I don't know what to do."
Oh, you poor child, you do not deserve what your parents did to you, she thought, and embraced him. "Don't worry little prince. Let's take your brother to the healer. No doubt he will feel batter after getting medicine from the old man." She made a silly face, at which Jae started giggling.
After that day, Elia gained a small, adorable shadow that liked to chatter non-stop and played with her kids and wards. That shadow went from single to double after Dae started to toddle after her, mistaking her as his mother, and soon, became the baby of her family. Rhae and Egg adored him, Vis fretted over him like a mother hen, and Dany got a little playmate. She didn't discourage all of that, as Lyanna never paid attention to her children, unless it suited her.
The ceremony finally started, as Grand Septon started his speech, droning on and on about the future and Seven's blessing. Elia kept watching attentively, committing this memory to her mind.
Lyanna's arrival at the King Landing was a cause of great disturbance to her peacefully routine. The she-wolf thought she just because she married the former prince now King for love, she could lord authority over Elia or her household. Elia shattered her delusions in the most humiliating way possible, warning off any future alliances the young girl could make in the court.
Truth to be told, Lyanna wasn't a bad mother, or a greedy harlot everyone made her out. She was only young and naive, and in her naivety, she thought that her child should be the heir, as he was born out of love, not duty. She was the one Rhaegar went to war for, not Elia, so she deserved the best. Elia didn't care either way. She wanted the best for her children, so Lyanna and her wishes be damned.
The ceremony was long, and it would have been longer if Aegon had a wife. This was a topic both Elia and Aegon wanted to wait for. Elia because she didn't want to bring an opportunistic snake in her family, and she wanted him to marry for love.
Tyrells were neither the first nor the last to think to use her children as chattel. Lyanna Stark suggested Sansa Stark as a bride to Aegon, despite Elia's repeated warnings to not interfere. But this time, it was Aegon who flew into a rage.
"You can't force me to marry her, Father! No offense to Rob, but she is a Stark and I will be damned before I let the North have any kind of hold on the Throne until Rob goes back to Winterfall as its lord!"
Aegon, on the other hand, wanted to consolidate his reign before he started his own family. Dragons were well and good, but fear wasn't enough to keep their subjects loyal.
Elia had a heart attack when Rhaenys and Dany disappeared while they were visiting Dragonstone. Her panic reached new heights when she and Viserys couldn't find Aegon anywhere either. A whole day passed before they found them, all of them covered in soot and cradling little hatchlings.
This was a surprise. She knew that all the children she was raising were special in their ways. Daenerys who never got burned, Rhae who could do magic like old Dornish Queens, Aegon with his water magic and ability to tame animals, Jae with his warging abilities whose reach was growing day by day, little Dae with his greensight, and Viserys, who wasn't immune to the fire like his sister, but he could control it just like water magic. But this? Rhaegar was starting to finally resist her again in an attempt to have some control over their children, and this would give him a reason to do something drastic. Anything to fulfill his prophecy of the Prince who was Promised.
No, she thought, I won't let him win. And her resolve and determination won in the end, as she looked over them. Aegon carrying Dae on his back and running, shrieking all the while as Rhae and Dany chased them, their dragons screeching in the background. Rob, Vis, Renly, and Jae were standing at a safe distance, attempting to convince the two direwolves Ghost and Gray wind to climb on Vis and Jae's dragon and having no luck. Dae's dragon, the smallest of the six dragons was chasing Dany's Balerion reborn and glomping on his tail like a kitten, while the elder dragons looked on in amusement at their youngest antics like a proud parent. Rhaegar looked at the new generation of dragon riders, wondering where he went wrong, but Elia paid him no attention.
Finally, after taking all his vows, the Grand Septon placed the Crown on Aegon's head and pronounced him King. To Elia, it felt like a homecoming. After so long, she gave her children what she promised them; their birthright.
Greyjoy Rebellion squashed before it could truly begin, the King with his family visited the North, on Lyanna's demand, but more than that, on Elia's request to allow Rob Stark to meet his family and future bannermen. North welcomed them with cold in their eyes and hearts, but for Rob Stark, there were only smiles and treats. Rob, with his wit and charming personality, managed to win over even the toughest lord. He was a lost son of North that finally came home, even for a brief time. That was a reunion that brought tears to Elia's eyes, so she finally decided to allow Rob to visit his home whenever he wanted. It wasn't that much of a hardship, as Dany's dragon was growing at a fast pace, so she could bring him to North whenever they wanted until Jae's dragon grew big enough to carry a heavyweight on its back. It was better this way, North would be loyal to Rob, and Rob was loyal to them.
Soon the procession started back to the palace. This time, all of them sat on horses or open carriages, waving to people, with dragons flying overhead and two direwolves trotting along them. This time, they didn't just distribute coins, but food and clothes too. In the past few years, the Royal family had become famous for their philanthropy and construction projects, which had endeared them to the smallfolk and lords alike, as it cemented the view that the Seven Kingdoms were flourishing. The process continued until they reached the palace. It was time for all the Lords to gather in the Throne room and swear fealty to their new King, and after that, a feast was to be held in the honor of Aegon Targaryen, Sixth of his name.
Lyanna had recently died in childbirth, and Rhaegar stood in her old room, remembering all the moments they spent together. She, just like him, had become obsessed with the idea of giving birth to Visenya. Elia stood in the doorway silently.
"This is what you wanted, isn't it?" Rhaegar suddenly spoke without turning to look at her. Elia stayed quiet for a moment then answered. "No. I didn't care what happened to her, as long as she didn't harm me and mine."
He chuckled bitterly, "You can't deny that you hated her, even for a small moment."
"You are right, husband. I hated her when I learned that you would put my children aside for hers. My hate for her was fleeting, my hate for you burned my heart, but it was the love for my children that made me do everything I did. My every action was for them. After a while, both of you stopped factoring in my decisions."
This is what truly broke him. Not the fact that his children refused to acknowledge him, not the certainty that his family hated him. People considered him better than his father, but many held grudges. His relationship with Lyanna had soured long ago. His prophecies led him to ruin instead of a savior. And now, to learn that his first wife can't be bothered to even hate him, that he wasn't important enough to warrant a thought from her.
He was now truly alone.
They entered the inner palace through the side entrance. Making sure that everything was presentable, women changed their jewelry from simple necklaces and circlets to pretty tiaras and jewel-encrusted pendants, bracelets, and earrings. All the princes adorned simple circlets. No one had wanted to distract others from Aegon, so they didn't wear anything heavy other than their dresses and sword belts. Finally, they made their way to the Throne room.
Rhaegar was lying on his bed, too sick to even move. Everyone knew he was going to die, but no one dared to say anything. His children and siblings had visited him more than once, out of pity or obligation, he didn't know, but he was beyond caring. He glanced at Elia, who was sitting in the side chair, deep in her thoughts.
"Have you ever wondered if things had been different?" She blinked at his question, turning towards him. "What will be the point? Nothing will be changed." Rhaegar looked at the ceiling. "I did love you, you know," he began conversationally, "And after some time, I started to think, what if everything was different? What if it was just us and our children in our little corner of the world? Away from everything."
She laughed bitterly. "It doesn't matter anymore, Rhaegar. History would remember you as a fool who plunged the realm into war over a girl, not as a young man plagued by the nightmares of the future, depicting the end of the world. They would remember me as the bloodthirsty Queen who will do anything for power, not as a frightened mother who wondered if every day would be her children's last day. Your Winter Queen would be depicted as an innocent young maiden caught between both of us, not as the headstrong and vibrant woman she was. We all had to do something circumstances demanded of us. No use in crying over spilled milk." There, she finally admitted that she knew why her husband did what he did. She knew that he was slowly going insane, but she didn't think much of it until Daeron came to her one day, trembling and crying, begging her to protect him from the nightmares he had gotten from his greensight. But she had acknowledged long ago that she and her husband walked on different paths, and both of them had destroyed any chance of reconciliation by their own hands. So in the end, it didn't matter.
As one, the whole family entered the Throne room, none of them stopping until they reached the dais containing the throne. Every one of them stood beside the Iron Throne, turning to face the gathered Lords. Elia and Aegon didn't stop until her son seated her at the side throne, and only when he was seated, everyone rose.
Yes, this was what she worked for. Elia sacrificed her whole life and her morals for her family, and this was the moment she waited for so long. She was Queen Elia Nymeros Martell, Mother to Aegon Targaryen, First Wife of Rhaegar Targaryen, and history would remember her as Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken.
I am being purposefully vague with relationships, age, etc. Just keep in mind that Daeron is 4-5 years younger than Jon/Jae. Ship anyone you want, even Aegon /o_o/
This will not have any sequel. But if someone wants to write something, you are welcome, just leave a review!