Chapter 4
Rhaenyra's cries don't make it any easier. Maegelle closes her eyes, trying to keep the bile from rising and memories of her own mother in labor swirling in her head.
Though this is the third child Rhaenyra bares, it does no become any easier, not for her sister nor for Maegelle. Even though she has assisted to every birth of her sister's sons.
The cry of a baby snaps Maegelle out of her thoughts, taking a wet cloth and dabbing her sister's forehead while Rhaenyra smiles at her son. 'You did great, sister. Another healthy son.' Maegelle smiles, her older sister letting out a relieved breath.
'You want to hold him?' Maegelle shakes her head, but she does pat the head of her youngest sister-son. 'Laenor should have that honor first.'
Rhaenyra nods again, sitting back as fatigue crashes through her body. 'Princess, the queen has requested to see the child.'
Maegelle's face becomes ice cold, the servant cringing at the furious look. 'Why?' Rhaenyra asks while Maegelle curses under her breath 'Are you fucking kidding me?!'
Her younger sister frowns, but Rhaenyra sighs, asking the midwives to help her up. The heir to the Iron throne is soon dressed, stepping out of her chambers, her sister holding her arm.
Laenor is just as shocked as Rhaenyra, Maegelle silently fuming next to her sister as they go up the stairs, no one saying anything at the princesses' dishevelled state. Her younger sister's glare makes sure of that.
Queen Alicent's face is one of shock, telling Rhaenyra she should be resting. Maegelle's lip curls, a sneer marring her face.
'Yet it is you who requested to see my sister-son in the first place, did you not, Stepmother?' Maegelle asks, sitting down on one of the couches. Rhaenyra and Laenor whisper at her to mark her words, but a cold smirk appears on Maegelle's lips.
'Still no children, Maegelle?' Alicent asks instead, Maegelle's stare never breaking hers. 'Why would I when Rhaenyra does such a marvelous job? The children call me Lady Mother anyway. While I may not have conceived them, I have raised them as if they are my own. They were not raised by nannies, unlike some people in this castle.'
Rhaenyra whispers Maegelle's name, but Alicent's furious rebuttal is delayed when the King arrives. Viserys is overjoyed by the new addition to the family, praising Rhaenyra with the birth of her third son.
Maegelle is a silent observer in the room. Sometimes she wonders if her father has forgotten she exists. Always good to Rhaenyra, but barely ever speaking to her.
She has long made her peace with it, but sometimes, on days such as this, she longs for what could have been.
Rhaenyra is silent when they enter their chambers, exited calls of "Mother!" and "Lady Mother!' filling the room. Luke excitedly shows the dragon egg he chose, Maegelle giving him a wink and patting him on the head.
'Back to the dragonpit with you two!' Laenor eventually says, Maegelle nodding at Ser Harold and following her husband and sister-sons out of the room.
She is sure her snappy remarks will have consequences, that Alicent will find a way to punish her, but Maegelle does not care. It is not the first time, nor will it be the last she and the Queen clash.
The youngest Targaryen princess stands a little bit away, eyes trained on Vermax. Jace's voice is unsteady, and Vermax is more interested in eating than listening to his rider.
'You need to control your dragon, young prince. Like Aegon has done with Sunfyre or your second mother has done with Vhaegar. Which was more difficult, mind you, since Vhagar already lived. You have had the chance to bond with a dragon from the egg, which is easier.'
Jace looks up to Maegelle who gives him a warm smile. She is walking to them as Vermax feasts on the goat, coming to stand next to her sister-son. 'Not bad. Next time, try to keep your voice steady. Try to find that confidence and allow Vermax to hear it in your voice.'
Jace looks up at Maegelle, nodding as she squeezes his shoulder. 'Princess, might we have a word?' She is soon lost in conversation with the dragon carers, not paying attention to the prank they pull on Aemond nor seeing him walk into the pit.
It is only when she hears roaring, that she is running inside, a roar outside making her wince. Vhagar is too big to hold in the dragonpit, and stays outside King's Landing. She sees her half-brother stepping back, grabbing him by the arm. 'What were you thinking? This is dangerous!' she bites out, dragging him out of the dragonpit.
'Let me go! Who are you to tell me what I can or cannot do?!' Aemond shouts, Maegelle turning her eyes to the sky and praying for patience. 'Despite that we might not know each other very well, Aemond, you are still my brother. I do not wish you to be harmed.'
Aemond quiets at that, sulking and eventually whispering 'They gave me a pig.' He can see his older sister is getting angrier and angrier when he tells what happened. 'Go to your mother. I will deal with Jacaerys and Luke.' The Targaryen princess says, dress billowing when she starts walking.
'And Aemond?' Maegelle turns, giving him a warning look, but a gentle one. 'No more putting yourself in danger, allright?' Aemond nods, his older sister disappearing around the corner.
Rhaenyra is shocked when Maegelle walks inside and gives both boys a slap on their head. 'How often do I have to warn you to not antagonize Aemond? That prank was beneath you both.'
'Maegelle, what is going on?' 'They gave Aemond a pig.' Rhaenyra sighs, shaking her head in disbelief. Maegelle takes her youngest sister-son from her sister's arms, walking around and rocking him to sleep.
'It was a harmless prank!' 'We did not mean anything by it, Lady Mother.' Jace says, but mutters his consent when Maegelle gives him an unimpressed look and tells him and Luke to apologize.
When the boys leave the room and Joffrey is sleeping, Maegelle turns, raising an eyebrow at Rhaenyra. 'What?!' 'Since when do you and Aemond get along so well?'
'Despite not liking his mother, he is but a child who wishes for a dragon. He-' 'He is a fool to long for one. The chances are extremely small he will ever get one. And I do not appreciate you reprimanding my sons for a harmless prank.' Rhaenyra spits out.
'That is no harmless prank, you remember how much I wanted a dragon, do you not?! And excuse me, Rhaenyra, but I have raised those boys as my own. They are as much my sons as they are Laenor's and yours.'
'No, they are not! You did not bring them in this world, so do not call them your sons, nor tell them what to do!'
Maegelle stills, a hurt look appearing in her eyes, face shutting down as Rhaenyra backtracks. 'Wait, Maegelle, I did not mean it that way! I-'
The princess is already out of the door, shaking her head at an astonished Laenor.
How could Rhaenyra? She knows how Maegelle never wanted a child of her own, to traumatized by her mother's death, but she has raised those boys as if they are her own. They call her Lady Mother for a reason.
The days soon pass, and Maegelle spends her time flying with Vhaegar, going on a little trip for a few days.
It is when she is back, freshly washed, and on her way to see Rhaenyra that she stops by the training of the princes.
She greets her father, sitting down next to him as they watch in a companionable silence.'I will go down, father. Their lesson is almost over, and I need to talk to Ser Harwin.' Viserys nods, Maegelle's long braided hair bouncing when she walks down, stopping at one of the walls, biding her time.
What happens next, happens in a fraction of a second. Jace is on the ground, Aegon keeping on beating him with a wooden sword, even though both Viserys and Maegelle have told him to stop.
'Sustain the attack, do not let him go.' Ser Criston calls out, the wooden sword by now leaving Jace with a bloody nose.
'That is enough, Aegon!' Maegelle shouts, trying to stop him, the teenager hitting her in the arm in the process. Maegelle shouts, more out of shock than out of pain, and before Aegon knows it, a real sword is pointed at him.
The princess is seething, the Valyrian sword gleaming dangerously as she points it at Aegon. 'I said enough. You are learning to fight, beating up my sons is not part of it.' Maegelle hisses out in Valyrian, eyes burning with controlled rage.
'You forget yourself, Lady Maegelle, that is the prince.' A smirk appears on Maegelle's face. 'You forget yourself, you vicious bastard. I am also a princess, and you forget my sister-wife is heir to the Iron Throne, not the princeling.'
Ser Criston's eyes are shooting daggers, but Maegelle only smirks wider, cold eyes trained on him. 'Apologize to my daughter, Ser Criston. She is still my second daughter and sister-wife to the heir of the throne, and Aegon did go too far.' Viserys says, stopping the discussion at once. Maegelle steps back, sheathing her sword, bowing her head at her father in gratitude.
'Forgive me, princess.' Maegelle's eyes linger a bit longer on the knight, eventually humming and putting her sword away when Luke comes walking over. 'Let's get that treated.'
Her sister-son nods, a quiet 'Yes, Lady Mother.' her answer. Maegelle grabs both boys and squeezes their arms playfully, the fight soon forgotten as Luke excitedly asks where she has been the past few days.
'Where is Ser Harwin going?' Maegelle asks a few days later, walking in as the knight leaves. 'He is being called back to House Strong.' Rhaenyra answers.
'It must be that asshole Cole that has done this.' Maegelle curses. 'The Queen must be punishing me for pointing a sword at Aegon's neck.' Rhaenyra's answering silence is enough.
'I should go. I only bring misfortune to you and Laenor. I will be visiting Laena and uncle Damon. Maybe if I am gone for a while, the queen will be less offended.'
Rhaenyra stops her sister in her tracks, shaking her head. 'I need you here, sister. Especially now.' Maegelle smiles softly, sitting next to her sister, who is trying to find the right words. 'I offered the queen a truce.'
Maegelle's eyebrow raises, waiting for her sister to continue. 'To betroth Jacaerys to Helaena and give Aemond a dragon egg if Syrax has a new clutch.' Her younger sister grabs her hands, squeezing them in comfort.
'That did not go over well, I presume.' Rhaenyra shakes her head. 'And the rumors about my sons, are getting louder and louder. They whisper about us in the corridors.' The oldest Targaryen says. 'Well, let's leave them to it.'
Rhaenyra seems confused, while Maegelle stands up and walks to the window, looking over King's Landing and farther ahead, to where she knows Vhagar awaits.
'To Dragonstone?' Rhaenyra questions, coming to stand next to her sister. 'To Dragonstone.'
Vhagar is as happy to leave King's Landing as Maegelle is. The dragon underneath her takes her time to start running, and before she knows it, they are up in the air.
They fly over King's Landing, soon joined by Rhaenyra, Laenor, and her sister-sons. Vhagar flies up and up, and it is only as she feels Vhagar growling that Maegelle looks down, a stare burning into her.
A cold smirk appears on her lips as she looks at Aegon, Sunfyre flying underneath them. Vhagar shows her teeth, Maegelle's grip on her dragon never wavering, cold smirk still clear on her lips.
Aegon knows what it means. A warning, only for him. That he better look out and be careful. Because next time, Maegelle will not be so merciful.
Nor will Vhagar.
Maegelle's eyes look up, Vhagar showing her teeth one last time, flying up, soon hidden by the clouds.
'What was that?' Laenor shouts, Maegelle shrugging. 'Nothing. Just reminding my half brother of his place.'
And that he better no overstep. Maegelle thinks, Vhagar turning her head and looking at her, as if she knows what her rider is thinking. Since I will have no problem burning him and his entire family to the ground if need be.