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A Queen to Be

Chapter 9

Three weeks later…

The men-at-arms stared at each other, stared far away, looked at their feet, and wondered just how much more time could doing the laundry take. Alaenys understood their irritation, but well, she was the one who was actually doing said laundry, so she had little sympathy for them as she toiled under the merciless sun, the summer that had overcome them all of a sudden. After all, they had only one task: to guard the royal women and the Blackfyre girl from anyone and anything that might wish to do them harm.

Last week, the well at the chapterhouse had had a sudden, urgent need of repairs, so they needed to bring water from the outside and go to do the laundry at the river. Today, it was Alaenys' turn and she did her best. Her fingers were already freezing and bleeding from scrubbing the garments but the cold water killed the pain. When she brought her hand to her face to smoothe away a lock that was going into her eyes, she realized that her fingers were so numb that she couldn't actually move it. She absently wondered how Princess Rhaelle was doing in the garden, with her damaged fingers. A few days ago, it had been Rhaelle's turn to do the laundry…

On and on she scrubbed and counted her blessings that silent sisters' garments were grey. She couldn't imagine what she would have done, had she been forced to wash white robes.

"What's this?" one of the men asked. Everyone looked, including Alaenys who barely managed to rescue some linen from swimming away when the snake at the horizon turned into a line of horses before her very fascinated eyes.

"Come on," another man said, urgently. "We must take you back to the chapterhouse."

The girl shook her head. "Come on," the man said again. "It might be dangerous."

It might very well be. They had no idea who this was. It might be the same lord who had tried to abduct Prince Rhaegar. Hell, for all Alaenys knew, it might be a new King coming to put an end to all the remaining Targaryens, unchoosy at to where they had been born on the right side of the blanket or not.

Still. The sight was magnificent – a long winding line of men and horses, banners flapping, hooves thundering. It was so colourful. For many a month, Alaenys had seen nothing but grey and she did not want to lose the colours, regardless of the danger she might find herself in. Was this the Targaryen madness manifesting itself? Like with that vile Aerion? Alaenys had had a close run-in with this one and had almost had her hand broken. Only the timely arrival of the King had saved her. She had thought that Maekar was the most beautiful human being in existence, then. She had almost told him so.

Aerion had had no idea of his own limits. Was the same thing happening to her? No. Of course not. She was merely… curious as to what was going on.

When the line came nearer, she gasped, recognizing the huge beast on the first banner, recognizing the man under it. "Come on," she called to the guards. "We're leaving."

"It was about time," one of the men muttered and another assisted her to mount – so clumsily that Alaenys would have done better on her own. She did not say a thing.

When she rushed in the chapterhouse like a sudden wind, Princess Daella opened her mouth to ask what was going on. Prince Aemon ran after her, calling for her to stop. She did not – she ran into the second chamber where Princess Rhae sat, rocking the babe.

"Your Grace!" she cried breathlessly. "Your Grace, the King is here. He's coming for you. I saw the banners, I saw him. He's coming with a huge retinue. Your King. King Aegon!"

Rhae rose all of a sudden, her face losing its entire colour. She could not believe it was over, that the terrible waiting was now behind them. Could Aegon really be the King now? Could he be coming for them?

"Rhaelle! Daella!" she cried. "Boys! Come here. Come here at once!"

Little Myara who had started to dose off woke up and her little face crunched up. Rhae rocked her before she could start crying. "Oh Mother, I scared you, didn't I? I am sorry, precious. But it's a good thing happening here, my love. Your father is coming, too, you know? If Aegon is, so is he. Don't cry, Myara. We're so very happy. Be happy, yes?"

She hugged Rhaelle with her free arm, then pushed her aside and told everyone to make sure they looked their best. It was a hard thing with the limited water they had but when the trumpets sounded in front of the chapterhouse, breaking the sacred silence, they were all in the courtyard, along with the silent sisters, waiting to greet their new King.

He's so changed, Rhae thought. The last months had obviously taken their toll of him, as well as them. He was now gaunter, his face sterner. Around his mouth, there were lines of insomnia that she hadn't seen there before. Still, he looked every inch the King, in the magnificent mantle of state in red and black, with the simple golden band on his head. When he was crowned, he'd wear something proper but even now, there was something about his poise and demeanor that told them they were in the presence of a king.

Behind him, Duncan gave the lines of grey-robed women an uneasy look. Jaehaerys, on the other hand, looked fascinated. With relief, Rhae noticed that today, he looked hale and healthy. Then, she caught him winking at Rhaelle and smiled a little. Some things never changed.

Aegon discmounted. The Reverend Mother inclined her head in sign of respect but she did not curtsy and of course, she did not speak; for a terrible moment, Rhae was afraid that Aegon will take this as an insult while it was, in fact, the greatest mark of honour the woman might have given him. The brides of the Stranger did not bow to earthly kings, even dragon ones.

Aegon only nodded and gave her a perfunctory look before his eyes went straight to Rhae. He approached and she sank into a curtsy."Your Grace," she said. The words sounded so strange to her when addressed at him. He was a King now. She had known it was a possibility but it still stunned her.

"My Queen," he said and she almost jolted. He held out a hand. One of the men in his train hurried ahead. On his extended hand, there was another glittering mantle in red and black, with the tree-headed dragon and the white furs lining it. A mantle for a queen, matching the one Aegon himself wore.

Slowly, pointedly, to everyone watching, Aegon placed the royal mantle on Rhae's shoulders. She felt the weight of it, the pressing of his hands on her shoulders. She rose slowly and everyone bowed their heads.

Next, Aegon went to his daughter. His eyes went briefly to her bruised, roughened hands before settling on her face. He smiled at her. "How are you, my little princess?" he asked and she looked down, still unable to believe that all of this was true. And so sudden!

Aemon's eyes were wide and full of wonder. He did not remember his father and he stepped back but did not hide behind his mother and left the man pick him up and smell him. He giggled – it felt exactly like a dog sniffing him.

Daella was leaning against a column of stone. The hard birth still rendered her more helpless than she would have liked. Her beauty was shadowed by the lines of exhaustion and sickly paleness, the veins in her face obvious. Behind her, Alaenys held the babe.

Aegon looked at his sister. A terrible memory suddenly came alive, of Rhae all those years ago when they had been forced to carve their fourth child out of her in pieces to save her life. Rhae had looked this frail, this pale for months afterwards, as if the slightest blow of the breeze would sweep her away. But Daella was smiling, albeit weakly.

His eyes moved to the little girl who was not as tiny as he had been led to believe. Her eyes were big and dark, blinking at him curiously, her mouth opened as if she was excited. Aegon looked at Daella again.

"Yes," she said, so low that he was the only one who could hear, "I've got a waistline again… and a new subject for you."

Alaenys looked down to hide her grin. Well, it seemed he hadn't been the only one to hear. He returned Daella's smile and made a step to the baby, took a golden ring with a huge emerald from his finger and touched it to her brow. Daella inclined her head in gratitude – she obviously didn't want to risk curtsying again. Aegon noticed that when Alaenys reached out to take the gift, her fingers brushed his without her paying too much attention. Before, she would have been both embarrassed and uneasy to touch one of their family, for all the kindness they showed her. Something had changed.

"I'd like to see you in private, my Queen," he told Rhae. She nodded. He let her take his hand and lead him in the building. With the corner of his eye, he saw Alor making his way to Daella and their newborn.

"It was about time," Rhae snapped as soon as they entered her chamber, shedding the reverence to the King like a cloak she no longer had use of.

He sighed. This was just the welcome he had been expecting, although not the one he had been hoping for. The last months hadn't been easy on either of them and he could say that the marvelous procession coming to fetch her had been the last blow on her already fragile nerves and ever so thin patience. She no doubt imagined how he had been living a life of luxury while she and the children had been toiling here – the look of their hands was quite telling. They had been toiling.

"How long have you known you'd be the King?" she attacked without losing time.

"Two weeks," he said.

She whirled on him, dark eyes shooting lightning. "Two weeks? And you left us here to wonder what to do? You didn't even write?"

This was so not going the way it should. "Listen," he said. "Hear me out before we start quarreling. I had no time, really. There were the lords who did not agree with my election, I had to appease the Faith, to make amends with the Blackwoods and so on. All this in secret. I didn't dare let you know what was going on before it was an established thing, with all needed support. Letters can be intercepted…"

He looks so tired. Rhae's anger was gone all of a sudden. She now saw what she had missed in the beginning: the shades of exhaustion beneath his purple eyes, the concern, the aftermath of a process that had left him repulsed, the hint of shame. She sighed and went into his arms, leaning her head against his shoulder. "I am sorry," she murmured. "I know it hasn't been easy for you, either. I shouldn't have taken it out on you."

"It wasn't," he admitted and held her close. "And I am still not sure whether it was right."

She knew what he meant and she couldn't do anything to ease his conscience. Only time could. Only his being a good king would. She went to the table and poured a glass of water. "Would you like some refreshment?" she asked. He nodded.

It suddenly occurred to her how fast they were falling into their father's routine. Queen Aelinor had always kept fresh water in her chambers, offering it to Maekar when he came back after they had spent some time apart. Sometimes, Rhae had overheard parts of their conversations showing that her father had had much more doubts and regrets that he had let the others know. Aelinor had been the one he had confided in above all others, the one he had relied to anchor him and accept him no matter what. Aegon knew that Rhae felt strongly about children being deprived of something that was theirs, yet despite that, despite his own shame and insecurities, he didn't seem to doubt that she would accept him and help him overcome the revulsion caused by the whole ugliness of the succession crisis.

Aegon looked around, finally noticing the austere conditions, the lack of windows, the second bed. His face blanched. "Rhae, how many… how many rooms do you have here?"

"Two," she said. "For all of us. We made the best of it."

He closed his eyes, horrified, imagining all of them crowded in here for months. And Daella had given birth in these conditions? "Forgive me," he said softly. "If it depended on me… I wouldn't have…"

She shook her head and smiled a little. "It wasn't so bad," she said. "We survived, didn't we? And we were safe. Did young Baratheon tell you about the attacker?"

"He did," Aegon confirmed absent-mindedly and sank on the bed without letting go of her hand. Rhae sat next to him. For a while, they stayed together, savoring each other's presence, feeling their strength coming back. They waited until they felt fully restored to come out and greet their court.

A/N. Thanks to everyone who reviewed this story. Your interest kept me going. I appreciate it.

I hope you stay tuned for the sequel. It will be focused on Aegon V's children. I always thought their stories must have been complicated and fascinating, so I'll do my best to do them justice.