Sunspear – 118 AC
Larys found the connection between Mellos and Otto, bringing both of them down to a swift end. Mellos tasted the sweet sword of Qoren, Dark Sister getting the blood sacrifice she needed, afterwards the body was burnt by Syrax angry flames. Otto got what he deserved by the one he hurt the most... Daemon. Caraxes having a feast on his body after dealing Daemon had chopped his head off.
House Hightower swore off any connection to Otto's actions, even going as far as disinheriting Otto's sons. Alicent cut off all connections to the Hightowers, swearing aligency to Princess Rhaenyra. Thanks to her close relation to the princess and her marriage to a Tully, she was seen as blameless and even pitied by having such a horrible man as father.
Which gladdened me. With Otto's death and everything finally over, I was finally able to move on completely. That Alicent, the horrible step-mother, that made my life a living hell, was not this time's Alicent. How could she be? She was a cowardly girl that married a man that could be her father and had four children so young. She was sad and alone, ripe to be manipulated by the poisonous lies of her father.
We were both just two little girls, used and abused by the men of this realm. Watching her so happy, carefree and with her hair down, even after marriage and motherhood. I realized that I was not the only one finally free, we both were. Her fingers were healed, unmarred by her usual self-harm. She no longer needed to do that.
Alicent and her husband had come to King's Landing, with their two sons, to swear that they had not known about Otto. Alicent had sobbed in my chest, never stopping from apologizing and begging for forgiveness. How could I not give it to her? How could I not give it to the Alicent that never came to be? When I saw the despair in her eyes, the same despair the other Alicent had... but kept silent behind a cold mask of hatred.
We both made many mistakes. We both hurt each other beyond reason. We both lost children and lied and betrayed each other. I am now happily married and will have all of my children, why should I not move on? I will not allow Otto's manipulations and poison to hold me any longer.
I will forgive but not forget, I will move on and be free of this weight. I am finally free!
"We are here," Qoren smiled at me. He looked so handsome when he smiled. A prince just for me... just like I wished when I was a kid. He was my biggest surprise when I came back, I had never expected to love him. But I do not regret it one bit. "Tyraxes! Calm down!" Qoren laughed, batting the young dragon away, as this one stumbled, flying circles around my husband.
Tyraxes was quite a beautiful dragon, just like his siblings. With his hatching, all the five dragons that have come from Syrax' clutch have been hatched. Tyraxes soon followed his sisters Moondancer and Morning.
"Ok, sweetie, calm down," I chidded the dragon gently. "Sorry darling."
"You know, I would believe you if you did not have that smile on your face," Qoren huffed, though I could see he was glad Tyraxes had flown to wrap himself around my neck like a necklace. I stopped wearing necklaces because of them, all of my sons' dragons loved doing that. "Let's get off this boat before the dragons reach Dorne and cause a mass panic without you three being there to keep them in check."
That's right, we were finally back in Dorne, and our dragons have traveled without us. Much to Jace's displeasure. But he was only six namedays, I will not have him flying off on his own that young. No matter how good his bond with Vermax is.
"Princess, Sunspear is yours," my good-father bowed, alongside the entourage he brought along.
"Thank you, father," I smiled, receiving a beaming smile, so similar to my husband and sons, that it had my heart melting.
"Grandpa!" Jace and Luke rushed to the Prince of Dorne, as little Joff babbled in Qoren's arms.
"My sweet princes!" Manfrey beamed, taking one in each arm and lifting them into his arms. "How are you?"
"Good!/Great!" They chimmed at the same time.
"I am glad," Manfrey's smile was warm as the dornish sun. "Come! I can't wait to show you the new flowers in the Water Gardens!"
I laughed as my good-father turned around and took my sons into the carriage, both of them talking his ear off about their dragons. I was about to follow him, when shouting from the crowd caught my attention.
"Princess! We love you!"
"Thank you!"
"Mother Rhoyne bless you!"
"The Dragon Princess!"
"The Golden Queen!"
I stopped, looking at these people, my people, stunned. No matter, how much I spoke about moving on and taking advantage of my new life, the scars of the other timeline still remained. Meagor with tits, that's what they called me. My people, the ones I tried to protect and aid from Otto's ambitions. I knew that it was his and the White Worm's lies... and my actions.
Still, seeing how different they are now a days was always a surprise. I know that my public image was different now, not smeared by rumors of bastards or the sort. But to be welcomed with such ovation... that took me by surprise.
"The love you, my love," Qoren whispered against my ear, placing a delicate kiss on my forehead. "You are the Realm's Delight after all, but to them? To them, you are the Dragon Princess of Dorne."
"The Dragon Princess," I murmured.
"Though, I prefer the Dragon Queen more," Qoren whispered, making my eyes widen is shock. "The Dragon Queen mounting the Golden Queen, a dragon worthy of a great future queen."
"My son will be king Qoren, decreed by the king," I whispered harshly at him, heart beating wild. "To say otherwise is treason, so shut your mouth."
Qoren looked at my with such a sad smile, that it broke my heart, but he did not speak again until we reached the Water Gardens. Not that I noticed, I was too immersed in my thoughts. Last time my quest for the crown lead to my perdition and doomed my children. I could not allow that to happen again. Even with my children being the only ones next in line, the lords of the realm will not allow a queen on the Iron Throne, they will revolt. Passing the crown down to Jacaerys will be the best option, he will look quite handsome with Aegon The Conqueror's crown.
Much better than that usurper I had as a brother, I seethed internally, as I got ready for the welcoming banquet.
"You look wonderful," Qoren kissed the back of my neck. I tilted my head back and moaned, encouraging him to keep on going. Appearing with a kiss mark won't be looked down here, if anything they will be congratulated for keeping the passion after three sons. Why had we never made peace with Dorne before? They are the best! "Wearing the dornish style as if you had been born to it, you have no idea what it does to me!" He growled, hands grabbing me roughly by the waist as he slammed me against his chest. I moaned as I left the how hard he was, rolling my hips against him. "Oh, you little..." he spun me around, crushing our lips together in a passionate kiss. "I love you. So much that it''s driving me insane."
"Me too, I love you," I moaned against his lips. "I didn't expect it, I didn't look for it... but I love you."
"Then allow me to share your burden," Qoren went to his knees, holding into my hands, as he kissed my knuckles. "Allow Dorne to stand behind you."
"You do not know what you are asking for," I frowned, trying to free my hands, but the hold of my hudband was too strong. "The lords of the realm won't accept it. Just look what they did to Rhaenys! She was the rightful queen and they gave it to my father, a weak man who was underqualified! Practically condemned the realm, for what? Pride? All because he was a man and Rhaenys a woman! It is not like Dorne!"
"It might not be... but there's no one to stop you," Qoren's words brought me to a stop. "Dorne, the Vale, and the North backs you up. The Stormlands might have once not been happy, but you've proved to Borros that you are a queen ready to rule in the battlefield and on the throne. Giving his daughter the opportunity to be the future Princess of Dorne will secure your rule. That's four of the seven kingdoms! The rest? The Tyrells owe you loyalty when your family gave them Highgarden. The same goes for the Tullys, whose heir married your best friend. As for the Westerlands, what will they do on their own? Without another heir to support?"
"My father would never allow it," I shook my head. "He named Jace his heir."
"He is but one man," Qoren reminded me with determination. "You have the loyalty of every dragonrider in your family. Not to mention, his health is quite fragil lately... with Jace so young, no one would protest when the Realm's Delight, their beloved princess, takes the throne."
"Qoren... what did you do?" I asked him slowly, scared.
"Me? Nothing, as you, I am here in Dorne," he answered, with a sly smirk. "However, your mother is in the Red Keep, and she has not forgotten what your father was willing to do to her for his quest for a son."
"Muña?" I was horrified, by what he was telling me.
Yes, my father was a weak and apathic man. One that lead our family to ruin, who exhausted his wife to the point of death, exiled his brother as if it was a game because of his jealousy, who named me heir and let the vipers tear me apart as he watched on his throne. He did all of that... well, would have done. However, he also was my only ally in a court filled with Hightowers.
The same man that was right now being killed by his own wife, I thought in despair. Though, you have to see the poetic justice. He killed his wife for his son, and his wife killed him for her daughter.