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A Queen To Be

Chapter 2

Two days later…

The chapterhouse of the silent sister was easily as big as Baelor's Sept and occupied an entire block of the small town. But that was the whole resemblance Rhae could find. It was not nearly as magnificent as the religious centre of the Faith of the Seven. It was rough and grey, and unappealing like the robes of its inhabitants.

"There are no windows here," Rhaelle whispered.

"There might be some inside," her mother said. The prospect that they might find themselves raising seven children in a place where the sunlight did not enter was too terrible to contemplate.

It was icy cold and at leaving the small wheelhouse with no signs on it, they all pulled their cloaks tighter around themselves. Ser Duncan sighed with relief – a wheelhouse was too short for a man of his stature and it felt good to be able to rise to his full height.

"Go there," Rhae said and he went up and knocked on the door. Nothing happened at first and he knocked again, more vigorously. Finally, a window in the upper part of the door opened and a cowled face appeared, the only visible part being the eyes.

"Her Grace Princess Rhae Targaryen desires entrance," Ser Duncan said.

He really meant it to sound like a plea, yet Rhae had known him long enough to realize that when he wanted to sound serious, the timbre of his voice and indeed his very frame made his tone too peremptory; she looked at Jaehaerys and saw the same fears on his pale, fair face. Quickly, she gathered her skirts and approached the door herself.

When she came near, she saw that the silent sister was very, very young indeed – the small patch of skin visible inside her veil was perfectly smooth, and her grey eyes were wide open, stunned at the thought of meeting such fine visitors. Not a hint of wrinkles. Rhae was looking at a girl, not much older than her own daughter. It was hardly unlikely that she was even a silent sister yet. Probably a girl given to the chapterhouse by a starving family with no means to feed another mouth. Or someone who had angered their father and had been sent here as a punishment. Rhae gestured at Ser Duncan to step aside and said more pleasantly, "Good day to you, holy sister. I am Princess Rhae Targaryen, daughter of our King, may he rest in peace, as you might have heard."

The girl certainly had. By now, the rumours had abounded and despite all the variations, Maekar's death was the only constant in them.

"My sister and I beg permission to enter and pray to the Stranger to welcome him."

This much was true. Rhae intended to pray fervently that her father found peace in death as he never had in life. The Seven knew that they would have too much time and too little to occupy themselves with.

She definitely felt that the girl was about to say something but at the last moment, remembered the rules she had to observe, so she only nodded and disappeared, leaving the window open. Rhaelle immediately tried to peek in and see what was inside; Rhae flicked her away. Daella shook her head. Rhae knew her sister had never lost control with her own children and hoped, quite unsavory, that when they grew older, Daella would, just once. She simply couldn't be this perfect.

After a few minutes, another cowled face appeared and nodded in greeting.

"May the Seven keep you, Sister," Rhae said. "I am…"

The woman nodded again, quite impatiently. Rhae had no trouble reading the words the sister would not say aloud. I know who you are.

The silent sister pointed at Rhae and then inside, invitingly. Then, she gestured at Ser Duncan and the others and shook her head. You can come in but your attendants must stay outside.

Rhae hesitated. On the one hand, it would be easier to lay her plea out without having to keep all the children in check; on the other, though… everyone knew that the King was dead and both as a princess born and Aegon's wife, she'd make a fine hostage for anyone waiting inside.

"Very well," she said, putting aside the cowardly little voice of doubt. "All of you, go back into the wheelhouse. Don't take your cloaks off. I'll be back as soon as I'm finished here."

Ser Duncan opened his mouth to protest but Daella caught his eye and firmly shook her head. Reluctantly, Rhaelle headed back for the wheelhouse. Jaehaerys purposefully waited for her to enter before following in.

The door slowly opened and Rhae made the few steps that separated her from what turned out to be a well tended garden – a glass garden, actually. It was neat and pleasing to the eye in its arranged simplicity but the Princess immediately saw that there were no flowers there, just herbs. The walls were grey stone, unrelieved by any splash of colour but they did look like they kept the cold at bay.

There were indeed no windows and Rhae fought the feeling that she was coming short of air while she was walking down the long hallways lit up by torches placed at equal spaces. The private parlor, or maybe study, where the head of the chapterhouse received her, was just as cold and fuctional – warm and windowless, with chairs and benches comfortable enough but without upholstery. The woman herself was seated in a chair against the furthest wall, wrapped in her grey robes, but the light of the fireplace cast a glow over her eyes; at seeing them, Rhae immediately realized she had a wily and formidable adversary to deal with.

"May the Seven keep you, Reverend Mother," she said.

The woman gave a regal nod. Was she trying to teach Rhae humility? Rhae's Targaryen blood roared in her veins but she forbade it to rise to her face. They needed the silent sisters. She would not put her children and herself at risk just because of a small stab to her pride.

"The Stranger saw fit to take His Grace, my father, to him," she said, choosing her words carefully. "As you might know."

The veil gave the other woman the advantage of being able to hide her expression. As much as Rhae was trying to read it, that was impossible. Ser Duncan had said that by the time they arrived, Aegon would have negotiated their accommodation with the sisters, that they wouldn't be turned away. But if that was so, why was the woman so cold and hostile? Might it be that they had not come to terms?

"There will be some turmoil, Reverend Mother," she said, bluntly. The woman's eyes widened slightly and Rhae smiled inwardly, certain that she had stricken the proper cord. Let her know that we need her. Let her feel superior. It's a small price to pay. "My brothers' untimely deaths left us without an uncontested air and there will be too many who would only be glad to use the occasion to further their own ambitions."

The woman inclined her head. She had yet to offer Rhae refreshments. The gesture of her pale thin hand, pointing at Rhae and then going up inquiringly was, in its own way, as blunt as Rhae's own words. And you have no ambitions of your own?

"My ambition, as well as my husband's, is only to do what is best for the Seven Kingdoms," Rhae said. "But I am but a mere woman. Prince Aegon knows more about these things than I do. I am only seeking protection for my children against those who might wish to do them harm. And my sister, Princess Daella, is with child. She needs a place where she can carry her babe undisturbed and there is no better place for that than the chapterhouse of the silent sisters."

The veil moved slightly. Was that a smile? If it was, was it scornful?

"We are just women and children in a sad plea, Reverend Mother," Rhae persisted. It had been but sixteen years since she last humiliated herself so, in the times when she and Aegon wandered around the Seven Kingdoms, exiled by their family but still too valuable to them, dependent on mere lords and knights and always in hiding. Now she didn't care half as much. She'd gladly kneel to the woman and wipe her shoes with her famed silvery hair if that meant that her children would receive sanctuary. "The entire Westeros would be better off if we're safely away from anyone looking for an advantage against all others."

The woman indicated the chamber and by this, the whole chapterhouse. "I don't know," Rhae said honestly. "I really think that no one would dare break sanctuary. I wish I could guarantee that you won't suffer any harm for taking us in but I truly don't know."

Should she add that one day, the sisters would be rewarded accordingly for shielding them? They would. Yet, looking at the austere surroundings, Rhae decided that it would be better not to mention it.

The brown eyes under heavy eyelids looked at her with something like approval. The nimble hands started moving once more, imitating weaving, cooking and… Rhae did not want to think what the last gesture was. Her gorge rose.

A long finger pointed at her. "Yes, Reverend Mother," she said. "Yes, of course. We will work for our upkeep. We'll try our hardest not to be a burden."

After a pause that seemed endless to Rhae, the silent sister rang a small bell that the Princess had not noticed. A few minutes later, another veiled silhouette entered with a plate of pulled figs and a teapot. The Reverend Mother reached up and took her veil down. Her face was as smooth as a girl's, although she might be forty and more. At the moment, Rhae did not care to find out more, she was just too relieved that they had found shelter and that they wouldn't spend the next weeks and months in the company of veiled facelessness.

As soon as they had had their tea, she excused herself and went back to the wheelhouse. Daella and Ser Duncan looked at her inquiringly and she nodded. "Come on," she told the children. "We are going in. And I want all of you to behave and not to speak. I am serious. Just a word, and you'll be sorry."

Rhaelle rolled her eyes. Jaehaerys barely stopped himself from doing the same. Rhae's older children felt something like respectful curiosity for the moments when their mother flew into a rage.

Daella gathered her skirts and the two youngest children – her own son and Aerion's boy, both under two years. Alaenys Blackfyre reached out to take the closer boy from her and wrapped him tighter in his furs. Ser Duncan coughed. "Your Grace," he said. "Prince Aegon ordered that Jaehaerys was not to go with you."

Rhae whirled about. "What?"

"Jaehaerys is to join his father," the huge knight said.

She went pale. Let Jaehaerys roam the dangerous roads with only a single knight to keep him safe? And now, when it was so cold?

"No," she replied. "Jaehaerys is to stay with me."

"Lady Mother," the boy said. "If Father said that he needs me there…"

She whirled on him. "Your father isn't here. I am. And I am saying that I need you here with us…"

The wind was blowing cold and ice in their faces bur Rhae's fear burned so hot that it chased the chill. "No," she said again. "It's too dangerous."

"My Princess," Ser Duncan said. "Listen to reason. Jaehaerys' being here places you in danger and it also places him in danger. If he is here, certain lords might be more prone to taking actions."

Actions. Breaking sanctuary. Taking them by force. As a mother of a girl and an infant son Rhae was in no immediate danger herself and neither was Daella. But Jaehaerys was almost grown up. A son of the late King's son. He was in the succession. He was more valuable than his mother and sister. Far more valuable than his aunt. He could place everyone in danger just by being here. And of course, he'd be in danger himself. With Aegon, he'd be protected. Og course, if he reached Aegon…

She took a deep breath. "Very well," she said. "Dress warmly. Don't drink anything cold if you can avoid it. And for the Mother's sake, keep your hair covered."

Jaehaerys nodded. "I will, Lady Mother," he said and embraced her – something that of late, he was quite averse to doing. Then, he hugged Rhaelle and his aunt, smiled at Alaenys and ruffled the boys' hair. Aemon tried to cling to him but Jaehaerys carefully pried him off and gave him to Rhae.

"I'll see you soon," he said, sounding very confident.

Rhae looked at Ser Duncan in a silent plea. "I'll do my best to keep him safe, my lady," the huge knight said.

With heavy heart, Rhae watched the wheelhouse lumber away, carrying her son to a future she could not predict. When it disappeared behind the curve of the road, she turned, took Aemon by the hand and led the way to the dreary building.