Author's Note:
This is the end of the Dragon Queen. It went for longer than I had thought at first. I wrote down all my issues with how things were handled and rewrote the story how I had wished it have been to begin with.
Many will wonder why I decided to end the story with this P.O.V. If I am being honest, I do not know. I just sat down to write this chapter and I knew it had to end like this.
The last five chapters are about the future. No, I won't do a sequel about the Game of Thrones era. But I'm sure many would like to know what happened to our favourite characters now that things have changed in the past. I took a lot of creative liberties when it came down to the bloodlines.
Will there be a Long Night? Yes, there will be. However, it will only be mentioned briefly and not described in details. I did not start this to write about wars, just like I did not write about the Stepstones or rebellion. I am doing this for what happens behind the scenes. Also, my focus is not the Game of Thrones era, but the House of Dragons era. Maybe I'll write a story for The Promised Prince another time. But this one it is not.
Narrow Ghost - 138 AC
I absolutely love dragon riding! I thought, as Seasmoke burned down pirat ships that had the guts to breach Targaryen territory. One would think that by now they would realice that the Narrow Seas are off limits. My smile widened as dragonfire lit up on the other side of the sea. That's my nephew!
That's right, I was not dealing with the pirates on my own. As my nephew has now reached his come of age, he had been sent to the Narrow Ghost to take his mantle as Prince of the Narrow Seas and Lord of the Stepstones. Grey Ghost surely loved being back on his territory! I was still castellan of the Narrow Ghost with Joffrey, acting as trusted advisors to our prince.
Viserys was not the only one who had to go and take his place in Westeros. Baela and Lucerys have relocated to Driftmark and now work hard under my sister, to support her and keep on making Driftmark great. My father and mother having long stepped down to enjoy their remaining years in peace and in each other's company. Joffrey and Maris had gotten married and were now overseeing the Water Gardens and working with Prince Manfrey Martell, who looked ready to retire at any second.
Another person ready to retire and live with her wife, was Lady Jeyne Arryn. However, she still had a couple of years left as Lady of the Vale. While, Aegon was eigth and ten, and has spent two years in the Eyrie as her second in command, he still remained unmarried. Visenya was the heir to the Vale and she was only eight namedays. Her marriage to Aegon having long been announced by my cousin, the queen. With the support of the whole realm after Visenya had claimed her mount, Silverwing, becoming the youngest dragonrider by a month, surpassing her own mother. With the dragons of King Jaehaerys and Queen Alysanne, who were still quite beloved by the commonfolk and nobles alike, who would ever protest such an union.
As such, Lady Jeyne decided to wait until they got married and had one child. The Vale could no go two generations with the inestability of wondering the succession of the Eyrie. Luckily, from what I've gathered from Viserys, Aegon has no issues leaving the seat of the Vale to her. He was more than happy to stay doing the supportive work and being the second in command. From what Viserys told me, it is quite a pain to deal with the Vale lords and cannot wait to leave that for Visenya.
For now, though, Visenya remained in King's Landing with her parents, her oldest brother Jacaerys, my niece, and their son Daemon. The tears on my good-brother's eyes when they announced the name. My poor good-brother, with so much love and loyalty, who never received half what he deserved in return. Finally, he will and we will all have a king named Daemon. Let's just hope he got the temperament of his parents and not his grandfather. If he did… poor thing.
"Are you done uncle?" Viserys asked me, as Grey Ghost approached Seasmoke.
"I am!" I shouted back. "And by the looks of it, so are you!"
"Nothing's better than to bring dragonfire on my enemies!" Viserys smiked. That smirk was all Qoren, full of dornish charm. "Fire and Blood!"
"Fire and Blood indeed!" I threw my head back laughing. "Let's go back, I'm sure your uncle Joffrey must be getting worried!"
That got Viserys moving and flying back to the Narrow Ghost. It only served to make me laugh even more. Joffrey had every single one of Rhaenyra's children wrapped around his little finger, even the spoiled rotten Princess Visenya. After they had discovered the story behind little Joffrey's name, they adored their uncle Joffrey. Not only was he a great knight, he had saved their brother's life and protected their mother. He was their hero.
"They were from Lys," Joffrey informed us, as soon as we got off our dragons.
"Does that mean the Triarchy is making moves to try and make a claim on my lands?" Viserys frowned.
"No, those pirates have been even bothering Lys' coasts," Joffrey shook his head, giving me a kiss when I reached his side. "They are as much of an issue to them as they are to us."
"So, we partner up with them," Viserys decided.
"Are you sure that's a wise idea?" I asked him surprised by his fast decision.
"We might have had war recently, but now we have a common enemy," Viseys pointed out. "If we are lucky, we might create a bond between us that goes beyond just business. Our relations with Essos have deteriorated after the Stepstones war. If not, we had dealt with these pesky pirates. What could go wrong?"
Famous last words.
Dealing with the pirates and getting Lys to aid went smoother than I had expected. Now, the issue was my nephew, who had gone and fallen in love with a woman from Lys. Larra Rogare, the youngest daughter of Lysandro Rogare, the head of the wealthy and influential banking family in Lys.
Which lead me to the position I am now, making arrangements with the Head of the Rogare House and his wife, to bring Larra back to King's Landing to get my cousin's permision for marriage.
The troubles you always get me into, nephew, I complained internally as Lysandro continued to talk as if he was such a big shot. I truly hate playing this game. I rather be back in the Stepstones hunting down pirates. That's my thing!
"Your daughter might be marrying a prince," I interrupted him, getting tired of the game he was playing. "She is quite a lucky girl."
"He is just the fifth prince," Lysandro replied drily.
"Watch it," I warned him with narrow eyes. "He might be the fifth prince, but unlike the rest of his siblings, not counting the next in line, he is keeping the Targaryen last name. He is Viserys Targaryen, Prince of the Narrow Seas and Lord of the Stepstones. His seat is the Narrow Ghost and you better don't ever insult him. Your daughter is lucky to have caught his fancy."
"How dare you?!" Lysandro exclaimed, but I could care a damn about it.
"I do dare," I raised my eyebrow in amusement. "My nephew not only has old valyrian blood running through his veins, he has magic. He is the dragonrider of the Grey Ghost and a Targaryen Prince. What about Larra? She is the daughter of a banker, no matter how wealthy or influential you are. Can you really compare those two?"
"What do you expect us to do then?" Lysandro's wife finally spoke up, realizing that her husband was ready to explode. "Send my daughter to Westeros with no promises of a betrothal contract or anything?"
"My cousin will never endanger her life and as long as her son is happy, she will allow the marriage," I assured them, well, mostly her, Lysandro could goo and die for all I care. "I can promise guest rights, we take them quite seriously in Westeros."
"We accept," the wife said, ignoring her husband's startled look. "Lysandro, they are happy. I've never seen my daughter this happy. Also, being family with the Targaryens will be good for business, especially since our future good-son will rule the gate between Westeros and Essos."
"All right, we accept," Lysandro sighed.
He did not look happy with how negotiations went. But I had not a single care in the world. These games bore me. So, I left and told the young couple the happy news. They were, of course, overjoyed. As I had promised Larra's parents, Rhaenyra welcomed Larra with open arms, almost as if she had been waiting for her.
… maybe she had. You never know with my cousin.
Many lords of Westeros were not happy with the choice, but they could also see the benefit of an alliance with the Rogare family. Especially, when Visery's seat borders with Essos. Not to mention, the clear valyrian herritage Larra had. When Aegon was born one year into the marriage, the protests lowered. When a year laster Aemon was born and two years after him Naerys was born, protests stopped completely. Three healthy children, all with Targaryen colors and dragonriders, what else could they protest about.
Joffrey and I never had kids, but we helped raised these three beautiful babies and that was everything to us. We saw when Aegon and Naerys got married, and later when Aemon married his cousin, the eldest child of little Joffrey and Maris, Princess Aliandra Martell, heir to Dorne.
We never wished for more than a simple partnership in secret when we started. But we lead an honest life, filled with wonder and love. When I laid in bed one night, I knew my time had come. I was not sad, if anything I was happy to follow my beloved Joffrey to the Underworld.
I did so with a smile and no regrets. There were two things I was sure of in my life: one, is that Joffrey will always be my soulmate. Two, nothing of this could have been posible without Rhaenyra. My precious cousin who will go down as Westero's greatest ruler.
I had lived the life I had dreamed on and gave it all of me. Aegon and Naerys were more than ready to take over their parents when these retired.
I was ready to move on and see my Joffrey again.