Welcome back desperation, my old friend
It is early in the morning two days later when they leave. At the head of the procession you have Rhaenys and Daenys, both still too tired to say much to each other. Daenys wonders why Rhaenys has not taken Meraxes with her and when asked, Rhaenys tells her she feels Meraxes needs some time to rest.
She did fly with her to Dragonstone after all. Rhaenys admits she has spent more time on her dragon's back than anything else and has decided that arriving with a dragon in tow might frighten House Droughtden. They have just pledged their alliance, and though they are not as important as the Great Houses, they still have a standing army of at least 20,000 men. They are the owners of quite a big territory, so this alliance will be beneficial to Aegon.
Argella accompanies them as well, silent since they have gone away. Apparently her hope that Orys would not be too mad has been crushed. Since he has yelled at her for hours two days ago, he has not spoken anymore to her. He has not even come to say goodbye when they left.
Argella is sure this storm will also blow over, but she does not like to leave when they have had a fight, she admits to Daenys later on their journey. They are silent for a long while, the sun pleasantly warming their face. 'Do you regret helping Eleonora?' Daenys finally asks. Argella thinks for a moment and than shakes her head. 'No.' she says. 'We did what was right. I would do it again.' Daenys laughs and nods.
'What are you talking about sister?' Rhaenys asks, urging her horse to slow down. Rhaenys has no one else to talk to, and the journey is boring, and the fact that Daenys and Argella get along so well makes her feel lonely. Apart from Visenya, Aegon and Orys, Rhaenys has never really had such good friends outside of their house.
Yes, there are the men that try to seduce her with pretty words and offerings, and they will do her bidding when she asks, but their intentions are not sincere. She knows they expect something in return, power or something else (though Rhaenys has never betrayed her husband by letting another in her bed, and she is not going to start now). The nobles that accompany her, men and ladies-in-waiting alike, work on her nerves. She orders them to advance and decides to stay with Daenys.
Her little sister seems to feel fine even though she has had a major fight with her siblings and Aegon wants to send her back to Dragonstone. Rhaenys will be damned if she lets that happen. Her sister has started to grow on her, she had never thought Daenys had such a strong and good personality. Her sister is still plain, and shy and uncomfortable, but she has also grown fierce. It makes Rhaenys want to get to know her better.
'We were talking about Lady Eleonora.' Daenys offers, Rhaenys smiling at her. 'Yes, do tell. What happened?' Rhaenys' mouth is hanging open by the time Argella and Daenys have finished their story.
'Damn, Daenys and Argella, you two have some courage! I do not know if I would've dared to do such a thing!' Rhaenys admits, Daenys smiling at her. 'I have always had a soft spot for true love!' Daenys admits, Argella snickering at the young queen's admission. 'Queen Daenys, hopeless romantic!'
'There is nothing wrong with that!' Daenys playfully huffs. 'Don't you think Rhaenys?' Rhaenys smiles as well and nods, grateful that Daenys tries to imply her in their conversation. Maybe because she knows all too well how it is to feel like an outsider, and that realisation makes Rhaenys sick to her stomach. She suddenly understands Daenys must have felt like that for years.
'Are you well, Your Grace?' Argella asks, noticing Rhaenys' quietness. 'I'm fine, Lady Argella. Do tell a bit more about your fight with Orys.' Argella opens her mouth to finish her story when Rhaenys holds up her hand. 'Quiet!' she whispers, Argella and Daenys immediately quieting down. 'What is it?' Daenys asks, taking her sword Dancing Dragon, by the hand. She is not perfect in sword's play, but she can defend herself. Her father made sure of that.
'Something is not right. You stay here, I'm going to check it out.' Rhaenys answers, ushering her horse to the front of the procession. 'Stay with me, Argella.' Her friend nods, but she can see she is nervous. The horses dance around in nervousness as well, so Daenys knows her sister is right. 'Do you hear that?' Argella looks to their right, looking out over the rolling hills. 'It sounds like an army.'
'What?' Their reveree is broken when at once at least one hundred men come running down the hill, right to them. 'What? Oh no!' Daenys gasps, taking a battlestance as good as she can. She hears Rhaenys ordering the soldiers at the front as well. 'Ready yourself, Argella!' Daenys screams over the noise at her friend, who also has summoned a sword out of nowhere.
There seems to an eerie silence for a few moments, and than the men clash into the soldiers that have formed a protective line around their monarchs. The sounds of battle are nauseating and Daenys defends herself as good as she can, slashing away at the soldiers that come for her. She hears Argella curse and than scream and while she is momentarily distracted, several men come for her. Her horse is spooked and starts bucking, and before Daenys knows it, she is on the ground.
'Argella!' she calls for her friend, driving her sword in a soldiers' belly. 'Where are you?' she screams again. 'Queen Daenys!' she hears a desperate shout. Argella is surrounded by at least five men, and she is not that good a fighter that she can take them all on. Daenys sees a noble and several ladies-in-waiting fleeing, calling after them to warn Aegon.
She stands up, does not hesitate for a second and barrels into the men's unsuspecting backs, causing several of them to fall over. They fight as best as they can but they tire out, and soon they are surrounded. Daenys is taken by the arm and dragged away, Argella right behind her. 'RHAENYS!' she screams in fear, and she hears an answering shout of her name further away, but there is nothing she can do.
That is when Daenys understands she and Argella are utterly alone, and this time there is no one to save them.