I apologize for not posting for such a long time. I was busy with the editing of my novel but now I am back and will try to post a new chapter every second day.

Chapter 4

„Breathe!" Aeryelle kept telling herself. After thinking about it for days, she had managed to come up with a plan to protect her sister. While it had at first seemed solid to her, now that she was about to execute it, she thought it was stupid. She was no military leader! She was a princess on the run, with a talent for sword fighting nothing more. In any case she was determined to go through with it. It felt good to finally do something other than running and hiding.

She had put on her armour, glad to realise it still fit. She hadn't worn it since she bought it in Qarth. The only two requirements she had asked for were a removable cover over her sigil and that it be designed in a way that she could put in on without the help of a squire.

Her plan had taken form, when she learnt that Thoros of Myr was taking part in the melee during the Hand's tournament. Thoros was known for fighting with a burning sword and that was crucial to her plan. She took Dark Sister, although she didn't expect anyone to recognize it. It hadn't been seen for years in Westeros so she doubted anyone would recognize it, at least before she wanted them to.

Barely 15 men were to participate in the melee, since most knights preferred the jousting. Aeryelle had signed it at the last minute as Alexandria.

„Clash!" The king shouted and the mayhem began. None of the participants were holding back and Ser George Tyrell, a cousin of Mace Tyrell, was down in the blink of an eye spitting out his front teeth. Aeryelle was fighting some knight from Lannisport in shabby armour, who didn't pose any threat to her. She kept her eye on Thoros as he wielded his flaming sword, since he was crucial for her plan. The sound was deafening as the swords clashed, wounded moaned and the crowd roared. Aeryelle got tired of her opponent and disposed of him easily, engaging next a water dancer from Braavos. He might have been a tough challenge for someone else, but Aeryelle was very familiar with that fighting style and incapacitated him in moments.

Then finally Thoros of Myr and she were the only ones still standing but Aeryelle realised in horror that his sword had gone out. Damn it! She thought, her whole plan was based on the sword. She had not enough time to worry when Thoros already started attacking fiercely. His style was crude but very effective, although after a few times his attacks became increasingly predictable. Then inspiration struck and Aeryelle knew exactly what to do.

Next time Thoros did a sideways attack, instead of pivoting to the side, Aeryelle let herself fall to the knees and threw herself back. This way the sword just graced her, unlocking the clasps of her breast plate cover and revealing the Targaryen sigil.

First everyone gasped and then they fell silent in shock. Even Thoros let his sword sink.

"How dare you sport this sigil? I should have you punish right now!" Robert yelled his face purple with anger.

"I sport this sigil, because it is my sigil." Aeryelle was glad to find that he voice was strong and steady. " I was born in the year 267 a.C. You believed me to be Princess Shaena Targaryen, who was stillborn, but my name is Aeryelle Targaryen." She removed her helmet before adding: "Head of house Targaryen and rightful heir to the Iron Throne."

She stared at Robert defiantly but to her surprise he started laughing: "A lost Targaryen heir, what a joke! Nice try young lady and you won't be punished for making me laugh!"

She had expected this and calmly said: "Ser Barristan Selmy and Ser Jamie Lannister. I suppose that revealing my identity has finally made it clear why I seemed familiar to you. I release you from the oath of hiding my identity and ask you to confirm the truthfulness of my words to the king." She had chosen her words carefully, to protect her friends.

Ser Barristan cleared his throat and said: "What she says is true. There was no princess Shaena, the princess name was Aeryelle. The Mad King decided it was best to keep her identity a secret because he was convinced someone was killing his children. She was given a fake identity as the King's ward from Dorne." He put an emphasis on the last word. "She was called Imsara."

"That is right. Now look at me and try to find the girl in the woman." Aeryelle said. Ser Barristan's eyes widened and Aeryelle marvelled at his acting abilities. "By the gods it is you princess!" He exclaimed.

"What?" The king yelled. "A Targaryen Princess and you never uttered a word! What kind commander of the Kingsguard are you?" He was furious.

"She was never heard of after the sacking of Kings Landing, I assumed she had perished, your Grace." Ser Barristan explained calmly.

"Do I have your attention now?" Aeryelle intervened.

"Archers!" The king screamed, inadvertently playing just into Aeryelle's hand.

The next things happened within the blink of an eye. On each side of the stand four archers had been position as additional protection to the king. Each of them drew and aimed at Aeryelle's head.

She threw her head back and shouted: "Drakaris, Daemon!"

Daemon shot down from above the cloud cover and engulfed her in flames, so hot that all arrows burnt to ash before they could grace her. Then he landed next to her. She petted his head and smiled when she saw the shocked faces of everyone. She couldn't help but enjoying the feeling of power. Daemon wasn't the largest of her dragons but the most loyal and smart one. He would follow each of her command like no other one.

The chain mail rubbed against her skin, as her undergarments had been burnt away but it was pleasantly warm from the fire. She was glad the armour covered her entirely. She thought standing there naked would have made her words let impressive.

"I assume now I HAVE your attention." She stated and went on to explain: "I have no interest in claiming my throne but word has come to me, that you have put a price on my sister's head. Remove it immediately or I will rain fire on the Seven Kingdoms!"

The king laughed in response. "You have a dragon, very impressive I will give you that, but it takes more to take the Seven Kingdoms little girl!" Aeryelle felt mad over the mocking but focused on remaining calm. "Losaris!" She simply said. It meant "descend" in Valyrian and Daemon's 20 brothers and sisters appeared from above the clouds. "Old Valyria has risen old man! You better hurry because if my sister dies there is nothing stopping me!" Her voice had an edge and nobody doubted her seriousness.

"Kingsguard attack!" The king responded and Aeryelle cursed her cocky behaviour. The order meant that she would have to face her friends and had to hold Daemon back.

They exchanged the first blows and the odds weren't bad. Aeryelle had ordered Daemon to lay down behind her, so that the knights could only attack her in pairs. It didn't take long until the only ones standing were Jamie and Ser Barristan.

The elder knight turned right exposing his left leg on purpose and giving Aeryelle the chance to cut him without arising suspicion that they were only performing. Jamie and she went on exchanging blows, much harder than in Winterfell. They had spoken about this possibility before and Jamie had had an idea about the strategy.

He had reminded her of one of their early training lessons. Ser Barristan had told them about a spot on the body that was called "the shamrock" by fighters from Lys. If a person was stabbed in the right angle it would appear fatal due to the victim bleeding heavily. By sheer luck it seemed no major organ was injured. They were counting on not many people knowing about this.

Jamie had exposed his side already three times for her to take the stab but Aeryelle found she couldn't do it. He gave her look indicating that she should pull herself together and get done with it.

"Stop playing Kingslayer!" Robert yelled and Aeryelle swallowed hard. He was getting suspicious! She knew what she had to do and it terrified her. If she didn't aim perfectly she would kill Jamie. The alternative wasn't much better, so next time she plunged Dark Sister into his body up to the hilt.

"I'm sorry." She whispered in his ear, barely audible as she heard Cersei scream in agony. Aeryelle let Jamie slip to the ground carefully not caring how it might look.

"One day! Otherwise you will burn!" Aeryelle screamed at Robert sounding more like her father than she meant. She climbed onto Daemon's back and addressed Lord Eddard:

"Lord Eddard. I ask your forgiveness in deceiving you. I never meant to and my loyalty to you was in earnest. You are a good and honourable man as Lyanna always said. I only meant to find peace at Winterfell. I hope that one day I can prove this to you."

"Soves!" She instructed Daemon and he took off.