King's Landing - 117 AC
"The commonfolk have been leaving flowers at the gates of the Red Keep," I told my daughter with a proud smile. We were in her chambers, she was sitting up in her bed, as I sat next to her in a chair. Joffrey was in his crib, napping and cuddling his dragon egg in total peace. "Whenever one of your ladies or part of your husband's court goes down to the city, they sent their wishes with them and prayers to whatever Gods they follow."
"I am happy," Rhaenyra smiled, happy by the news.
However, I could see the tiredness in her eyes. It saddens me to see my usual energetic daughter so down, but the helears have assured us that it was normal. Her body was spending a lot of energy into finishing healing her.
"Syrax though, has been unconsolable," I informed her. "Daemon had to go down to the pit to calm her down, as she had almost hurt the dragon keepers."
"Oh, my sweet queen," Rhaenyra had a sad expression on her face. "Soon I'll be as good as new and I'll bring Joffrey to meet her. I will give him his first dragon ride, as I did with all my sons."
"That you will," I do not know if I said that to convince her, or myself.
I just had to make sure that she'll soon heal and there won't be any complications. The kids could not lose their mother... I could not lose my daughter.
"Qoren mentioned taking me to Sunspear, to take a break in the Water Gardens," she told me with a small smile, startling me. "Once I heal up completely," she assured me. "It will be nice to be back in Dorne, it is beautiful. Especially, for little Joff, who will one day rule as a Martell Prince. My good-father wants to introduce his son's heir to the lords and ladies of Dorne as well."
"I believe that is a wonderful idea," I gasped. "You deserve a break... though, we better wait for the culprit to be caught as well."
"I did tell him that too," she chuckled. "Not only my security will be at risk, but our sons' too."
"Whoever wants you dead, wants every heir to the throne eliminated," I deduced. "Which is why they tried to force an abortion," I followed Rhaenyra's gaze towards the crib. "You don't think that..."
"Otto Hightower," she stated those words as if they were law. "He was not happy when I married off Alicent to the Tully heir.
"Which is quite curious as having his daughter married to a future Lord Paramount, as a second son, would be a great boon," I continued for my daughter.
"Not as much as being queen and mother to a future king," she replied drily.
"You do not believe that..." I looked at her aghast.
"The Grand Maester works for him... and he suddenly sugested a caesarean when his daughter was of marriagable age," Rhaenyra looked at me with dead eyes, the same kind of eyes she has when seeing a dark vision of the future. Oh, why does my daughter have to be burdened with such a great but cruel gift? "He could not have the king re-marry before his daughter could sneak into his bed and seduce him."
"That snake!" I seethed. "We have to do something! This goes beyond political manipulation, this is treason!"
"Which is why I had Larys look into Mellos and Otto," my daughter told me. "When he finds the link, we can have both of them gone and replace Mellos with Gerardys. He is loyal to House Targaryen."
"Good," I sighed. "You need to be more careful with me, daughter. So many surprises won't be good for my old heart."
"You are quite young, mother," Rhaenyra chuckled.
Our good humour was interrupted by Ser Harwin knocking on the door. "Your Grace, Your Highness, Lord Rickon Stark is here to pay his respect to Princess Rhaenyra."
"I completely forgot about him!" My daughter hissed under her breath. "Qoren was to meet with Lord Stark to discuss extending the trade contract between Dorne and the North, as the trial period was so benefitial for both sides. Lord Stark also requested an audience with me... with everything that happened I completelt forgot!"
"We can always send him away," I assured her. "House Stark is the most honourable house after House Arryn, of course," I winked at her, making my daughter giggle. "He will understand that you are injured and tired."
"No, I want to meet him," she refused. That's my brave girl! I felt quite relieved when I saw the fire dragon, that has been missing, back in her eyes. "Help me look more presentable." How could I refuse anh request from my daughter? "How do I look?"
"Like a queen," I smiled, ignoring her startled expression. "Let him in Ser Harwin!"
"Your Grace, Your Highness," Lord Rickon Stark entered and bowed. "Congratulations on your third son," he smiled warmly, breaking his ice-cold exterior, as his gaze fell upon my grandson.
"Thank you," Rhaenyra smiled, a true smile. One that she only had when dealing with House Targaryen, Velaryon, Martell, Arryn, and Stark. I could understand the others, as they are family, but when did she warm up that much to the North? Could it have been because of her dreams? "Apologies for receiving you like this."
"There's nothing to apologize," Lord Rickon shook his head. "To attack a pregnant woman, with the intention of killing a babe... unforgivable! If you need the aid of the North you have it!" His gazd blazing with a fury as dangerous as a blizzard, had my heart warming up to the Warder of the North. "I will not take much of your time, I just wanted to thank you for all you've done for the North. Not only with the new gift or the trade with Dorne, but with my traitorous brother." He spat that last word with so much venom, that it had me reeling. After all Starks were wolves, pack animals like Targaryen dragons.
"So, he was truly doing that," Rhaenyra sighed.
"Doing what?" I demanded to know. I was the queen and do not like not knowing what was going on in my realm.
"I saw a future where Lord Rickon died, even when he had been healthy," my daughter informed me. I was startled when she talked about her dreams outside of the family. "The North remembers, they still have magic there and truly believe us when we talk about our dreams." My daughter assured me, with a smile.
"Starks are skinchangers," Lord Stark told me with a smirk.
"Like in the tales?" I gasped.
"Like in the tales," Lord Stark laughed. "When I received a letter from the Master of Whispers about a family member possible commiting treason, I was in disbelief. That is, until I received note of the princess' dreams." Lord Stark sighed with so much sadness, that it broke my heart. "In that future Bennard usurped my son's seat on Winterfell after my death, using the disguise of being regent until he reaches majority of age. However, when that happened, he did not step down. My own son, had to raise arms against him." I looked horrified by that tale... a tale thag could have happened if I had died and Viserys had remarried. Luckily, that won't be happening anytime soon. "I invesgigated and found out Bennard was trying to kill me via poisoning."
"Outragious!" I gasped. "Have they been punished?"
"Bennard and anyone involved received the justice of the Old Gods," Lord Rickon assured me. Eyes as sharp as the ancestral sword Ice, but also filled with pain. "His sons have been taken in by the Karstark family, their mother's family. His eldest, Benjen, will inherit Queenscrown. It was suppose to go to Torrhen..."
"My condolonces on your second son's passing," I told him, understanding the pain of losing a son.
So many sons lost, coming to this world stillborn or not even completing their gestation period.
"The North is a cold place to live in, Your Grace," was the only thing he said in return. What else could he have said? "But as the princess well said before, the North remembers. We will remember this and how you've portected and championed our religion south The Neck. It gladdened us, to see many houses go back to their original religion, after having been forced to convert by the tree burners."
I raised an eyebrow at the insult used by the northerner to mention the Faith. I liked it. Maybe I'll use it.
"I could see that, when many weirwood saplings made their way down the Neck," Rhaenyra chuckled. "We even have one here in the city, that is not mentioning the weirwood we have in the Red Keep. Being there has always brought a comfort to my heart, I even take my sons there to read to them from time to time."
"It warms our heart to know that we have a princess that cares so much about us and our culture," Lord Stark smiled warmly at her. "House Stark and the North won't forget, you have my word."
It was then that I understood what my daughter had once told me, when I questiondd why she championed the North so much. Especially, with the drawbacks at the beginning.
'If you have House Stark, you have the North mother. And the North remembers.'
The North was filled with honour I've only seen in the Vale, and as an Arryn I can understand remembering favours and repaying them. Rhaenyra did not have only the Vale, Dorne, and Crownlands backing her, she also had the North.
I tried to compose myself and not gape at my daughter. Since when has she become such a mastermind playing the game?
"How is Queenscrown doing?" Rhaenyra asked Lord Stark, snapping me out of my trance. It seems that the conversation had continued while I was out of it.
"It up and running, my sister-in-law will soon move to the lands as Lady Regent, until her son's majority of age," Lord Stark informed us. "The lands are quite fertile and the lords and ladies are quite happy to have them back, even if the lands have to pay taxes to the Wall. Then again, with all the aid from the crown, the Wall has never kept us more protected."
"Good, I'm glad," Rhaenyra smiled. "Will they keep the Stark last name?"
"No, they'll become a cadet house to House Stark," Lord Rickon shook his head. "They'll take the name, Whitestark."
"Good," I nodded firmly, pleased. "That way none of them will think again on trying to usurp your line."
"Let's hope they've learned from their father's mistake," Lord Stark replied grimly. "But the North does not blame the parents' mistake on the children."
"Dorne doesn't either," Rhaenyra chuckled sadly. "Let's hope the rest of the realm learns that too."
"Here's hoping," I sighed. "Here's hoping."